OpenAI Disrupts Russian and Iranian AI-Driven Influence Operations
Summary
OpenAI says it disrupted Russian and Iranian influence operations that used AI-generated personas and content to place narratives in news outlets. It rated the Russian campaign’s impact 5 out of 6 and the Iranian campaign’s 4 out of 6.
Key points
- The Russian-linked “Dark Clark” network used a fake think tank and AI persona to promote narratives, especially about Ukraine, in Latin America.
- OpenAI said the Russian operation appeared to control the Social Research Center and rated its impact 5 out of 6.
- The campaign spread fabricated audio in Ecuador and Bolivia, prompting fact-checks and official denials.
- The Iranian campaign used at least seven fake journalist personas to place nearly 100 articles across roughly a dozen online outlets.
- OpenAI described the Iranian activity as resembling a commercial, for-hire influence campaign and rated its impact 4 out of 6.
- OpenAI did not attribute either operation to a specific Russian government agency or identify the actor behind the Iranian campaign.
Article Details
- Event Type
- OpenAI disrupted Russian- and Iranian-linked influence operations that used AI-generated journalist personas and covert think tanks to place propaganda and other narratives in media.
- Impact
- OpenAI rated the Russian operation 5 and the Iranian operation 4 on its 1–6 impact scale. The Russian operation's content prompted fact-checks and official denials in Latin America. The Iranian operation placed dozens of stories online, but they often generated little engagement.
People
Threat Actors
Vendors
Products
Countries
ArgentinaThe group’s content primarily focused on harming Ukraine’s reputation in Latin America, though it also became involved in hot-button political issues in Argentina and Bolivia.BoliviaThe group’s content primarily focused on harming Ukraine’s reputation in Latin America, though it also became involved in hot-button political issues in Argentina and Bolivia.EcuadorThe actors also generated and spread fake audio clips of the Ukrainian consul in Ecuador insulting Ecuadorian citizens.IranOpenAI disclosed Thursday it shut down two influence operations from Russia and Iran that used ChatGPT and other AI tools to create fake journalist personas and covert think tanks that successfully planted stories andRussiaOpenAI disclosed Thursday it shut down two influence operations from Russia and Iran that used ChatGPT and other AI tools to create fake journalist personas and covert think tanks that successfully planted stories andUkraineThe group’s content primarily focused on harming Ukraine’s reputation in Latin America, though it also became involved in hot-button political issues in Argentina and Bolivia.