OpenAI has identified and deactivated several ChatGPT accounts linked to an Iranian influence campaign. The campaign was primarily using ChatGPT to generate extensive articles and social media comments, on platforms like Instagram and X. The accounts were associated with Storm-2035, a clandestine Iranian operation known for creating websites that mimic political news outlets, in an attempt to sway US voters.
Content spanned various topics The influence campaign generated content on a wide range of topics. These included the US presidential election , the Israel-Hamas war, Israel's participation in the Olympic Games, Venezuelan politics, and issues concerning Latinx communities in the US. The operation was part of a broader series of influence campaigns linked to the Iranian government by Microsoft last week.
The campaign achieved limited engagement OpenAI's investigation revealed that the campaign "does not appear to have achieved meaningful audience engagement." Most of the social media posts identified by OpenAI received minimal interaction, with a "few or no likes, shares, or comments." The operation also produced content for fake conservative and progressive news outlets, targeting contrasting viewpoints.
Influence campaign's narrative and future concerns The content generated by the influence campaign suggested narratives such as Donald Trump "being censored on social media and was prepared to declare himself king of the US." Another narrative portrayed Kamala Harris 's .