TLDR OpenAI banned ChatGPT accounts linked to a Russia-based influence network promoting the International Burke Institute. The operators used Russian-language prompts to create mostly Englis
OpenAI said it banned a group of ChatGPT accounts linked to a Russia-based influence operation that promoted the International Burke Institute. The company said the operators mainly used Russian-language prompts to create English social media posts and comments.
The group also asked ChatGPT to remove clues that could reveal a Russian origin. OpenAI said the operators used virtual private networks because the service remains unavailable in Russia. The company did not link the campaign to the Russian government.
The International Burke Institute presented itself as an Israel-based expert group with academic research and official-looking profiles. OpenAI reviewed 36 articles connected to the institute and found that 34 reproduced material from other online sources.
Some copied articles carried incorrect author names or dates. One article about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor came from a Cambridge University Press publication but appeared under the name of a University of Nottingham professor who did not write it.
OpenAI said the network used ChatGPT to create posts for X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Substack, Telegram and other channels. Some accounts used the institute’s name, while others appeared to pose as ordinary users sharing its material.
The company said the campaign reached relatively small audiences despite its broad setup. Some Telegram channels drew larger follower counts, but many social media posts attracted limited public attention. OpenAI said the operation relied on a mix of copied research, fake profiles and promotional content.
OpenAI has previously identified Russia-linked groups using ChatGPT for political influence efforts. In 2024, the company disrupted Doppelganger, a campaign that created articles, comments and social posts supporting Russia while criticizing Ukraine, NATO and the United States.
The company has also reported Russian-linked cyber activity involving ChatGPT. OpenAI said Forest Blizzard, which has ties to Russian military intelligence, used the tool for research, scripting and phishing support. In the latest case, OpenAI said some people in Israel may have represented the institute, but their connection to the Russia-based operators remains unclear.
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