OpenAI Bans Russian ChatGPT Accounts Used to Run Influence Operation
OpenAI banned Russian-operated ChatGPT accounts that generated social media content promoting the International Burke Institute influence operation.
OpenAI disrupted a cluster of ChatGPT accounts using VPNs to generate posts and comments on Substack, Telegram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn promoting the International Burke Institute, a self-described expert community registered in February 2025. The operation republished academic work with misattributed sources and promoted a 'Sovereignty Index' scoring nations 100-700 points, casting Russia favorably. Telegram channels drew roughly 10-20,000 followers each, and operators instructed ChatGPT to conceal linguistic clues of Russian origin. OpenAI says the campaign is distinct from documented Russia-linked influence operations and illustrates how AI can support manufacturing of authority.
- Accounts used VPNs to bypass access restrictions and asked ChatGPT to hide Russian provenance in English content.
- Operation built infrastructure: copied academic articles, purported experts and a seven-indicator Sovereignty Index.
- Telegram channels attracted 10-20,000 followers; OpenAI judged audience reach relatively small.
- One user generated a Telegram channel profile image and requested Russian-language activity summaries.
- Tags
- account-banschatgptcovert-campaignsdisinformationinfluence-operationsinternational-burke-instituteopenairussia
- Vendors
- OpenAI
- Products
- ChatGPT
- Organizations
- International Burke Institute
- AI models
- ChatGPT
From the original article
3 min read at thehackernews.com
OpenAI on Tuesday said it banned a cluster of Russian ChatGPT accounts that used VPNs to bypass access restrictions and run an influence operation, which relied on its artificial intelligence (AI) tool to generate social media posts and comments that were shared on Substack, Telegram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn.
By @TheHackersNews · thehackernews.com
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