OpenAI announced on Thursday that it has dismantled several influence operations originating from Russia and Iran that were leveraging ChatGPT to disseminate propaganda. According to the company, these networks used the AI to create fake journalist personas and support a purported think tank aimed at spreading anti-Ukraine narratives.

The Iranian-linked operation was specifically identified as using seven distinct profiles to pose as Western journalists. These personas were reportedly used to draft and attempt to place lengthy articles in various media outlets worldwide. OpenAI stated that these actions violated their policies against deceptive influence operations, leading to the immediate banning of the associated accounts.

While OpenAI provided details on the nature of the content—specifically the creation of fake personas and the promotion of anti-Ukraine messaging—the company did not disclose the specific volume of content successfully published or the names of the media outlets targeted. The report highlights the ongoing challenge for AI developers in preventing their technology from being repurposed for state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. As of now, there is no public information regarding the specific individuals or government entities behind these operations, nor has there been a formal response from the Russian or Iranian governments regarding these allegations.