The operators used ChatGPT to conceal signs of their Russian origins and promote a credible-looking institution whose website featured copied articles, false author attributions, and purported experts.
OpenAI banned a cluster of Russian ChatGPT accounts that promoted a fake think tank claiming to be based in Israel, according to a company report published Aug. 25.
The operators used ChatGPT to produce social media posts and replies promoting the International Burke Institute, a self-described “expert community.” OpenAI said the accounts very likely originated in Russia and instructed ChatGPT to remove linguistic clues that could reveal their Russian origins.
The institute’s website appeared to support its credibility with purported experts, academic articles, and its own “sovereignty” index. However, OpenAI found that 34 of 36 articles it reviewed had been copied from elsewhere. Some were attributed to people who did not write them.
OpenAI described the activity as a previously unreported covert influence operation, meaning a deceptive attempt to shape public opinion or political outcomes without revealing who is behind it.
ChatGPT promoted the institute across five platforms
The Russian ChatGPT accounts generated mostly English-language posts that were published on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Substack, and Telegram. Some came from accounts using the institute’s name and logo, while others appeared to be ordinary users whose main activity was sharing its articles.
The operators also used ChatGPT to create replies to posts written by real Substack users. Those replies generally asked readers to follow the institute’s channel.
One operator generated German-language posts for a Telegram channel that criticized Ukraine, the European Union, and the German government while supporting closer relations with Russia. Another used ChatGPT to create logos for 12 Telegram channels focused on Germany, the United States, France, Poland, and Turkey.
The operators prompted ChatGPT in Russian and used virtual private networks to access the service because OpenAI does not allow access to its models from Russia, the company said.
Copied research made the institute appear credible
The International Burke Institute website, registered in February 2025, listed prominent experts and claimed an address in Israel. OpenAI said much of the site’s material was copied or falsely attributed.
One article had been copied from a Cambridge University Press publication but credited to a different academic. Another was copied from the Migration Policy Institute and attributed to an Australian food chemistry professor.
The website also published a “sovereignty” index and country reports that presented Russia favorably while criticizing countries that oppose its war in Ukraine. OpenAI said neither the copied articles nor the sovereignty reports were generated using its models. ChatGPT’s main role was producing promotional material that directed people to the website.
OpenAI found online traces suggesting that several real people in Israel may have represented the institute through article submissions or conference appearances. The company said it could not determine how those individuals, the institute, and the Russian operators were connected.
Operation built infrastructure despite limited reach
OpenAI said the operation’s immediate reach appeared limited. Most social media posts attracted few views, and the institute’s official accounts had small audiences. Its Telegram channels were more established, generally reporting between 10,000 and 20,000 followers each.
The company said the operation was notable because it had built a credible-looking institution that could support and spread favored political narratives. OpenAI said the case shows how AI can serve as one part of a broader effort to manufacture authority and conceal the source of information.
