OPENAI has banned multiple ChatGPT accounts believed to be used by Russian operators for a covert influence operation promoting a fake think tank called the International Burke Institute (IBI). These accounts generated social media content primarily in English while masking their Russian origins through VPN usage. The operation involved creating credible-looking articles and a ‘Sovereignty Index’ favoring Russia and criticizing Western states.
Though the campaign reached limited audiences, it built a network with a professional appearance capable of being activated during political events. The effort highlighted AI's role in supporting influence operations by facilitating content generation and branding, even while human oversight remained critical.