OPENAI has disrupted a covert Russian influence operation, involving the creation of a fraudulent think tank named the International Burke Institute (IBI). The group, suspected of being Russian operators, spread disinformation using AI-driven accounts on social media platforms, targeting audiences in the US, Germany, France, Poland, and Turkey. This campaign featured plagiarized research articles and misattributed content to give a false sense of credibility.
While the direct engagement was low on mainstream platforms, associated Telegram channels gained 10,000 to 20,000 subscribers. OpenAI has banned the responsible accounts, urging users to verify unfamiliar sources and be vigilant about the authenticity of political commentary online.