American company OpenAI has announced the ban of Russian and Iranian accounts on its ChatGPT platform. The accounts were found to be using artificial intelligence to spread misinformation about the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East. This move highlights how countries and political entities are exploiting widely available AI tools to produce and distribute propaganda on a large scale.
According to OpenAI, the Iranian operation involved seven fake journalist profiles claiming to be from Western countries, including the US. These profiles were used to publish lengthy articles on international media outlets. OpenAI identified around 100 articles published or shared on nearly 12 websites globally. These websites were small to medium-sized and generally focused on international affairs and geopolitics.
The Iranian accounts published their first article in July 2025, with the most recent one in October 2026. The frequency of publications increased after the war between the US and Iran earlier this year. The operation also produced social media posts and comments on topics related to the war. One of the fake personas, Irvin B. Hoskins, claimed to be an American freelance writer and had accounts on multiple platforms.
OpenAI found that Hoskins' accounts were linked to an Iranian-based application. The company's analysis revealed that the Iranian operation was less complex compared to the Russian operation. The Russian operation involved individuals in Latin America who were unaware they were working for a Russian group. They were used to run a entity called the Social Research Center (SRC) to undermine Ukraine's image in the region.
The Russian operation was more complex, with OpenAI identifying it as the most sophisticated attempt to manipulate public opinion in the past two and a half years. The SRC employees produced original content, used ChatGPT to prepare internal reports, and drafted promotional materials. They also evaluated the center's performance and wrote social media posts and comments.
The Russian operation involved interacting with statements from Grzegorz Braun, a Polish far-right politician. Braun proposed that anyone showing "enmity towards Poland" should be considered an undesirable person in the country. OpenAI's actions demonstrate its efforts to prevent the misuse of AI tools for spreading misinformation and propaganda.
The increasing use of AI tools by countries and political entities raises concerns about the spread of misinformation. OpenAI's move to ban these accounts highlights the need for companies to monitor and prevent the misuse of their AI tools. The company's actions aim to maintain the integrity of its platforms and prevent harm to individuals and communities.
Key points
- OpenAI bans Russian and Iranian accounts for using AI to spread misinformation about Ukraine and the Middle East.
- The Iranian operation involved fake journalist profiles and published around 100 articles on international media outlets.
- The Russian operation was more complex, involving individuals in Latin America and aiming to undermine Ukraine's image in the region.
