On August 16th, OpenAI, the company behind generative AI services such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, announced that it had shut down accounts associated with an Iranian covert operation group using ChatGPT to conduct an influence campaign targeting the U.S. presidential election.
The influence operation, run by an Iranian network known as Storm-2035, was reportedly generating extreme opinions on various topics, including the presidential candidates themselves, the Gaza conflict, and Israel’s participation in the Olympics. These opinions were then disseminated across news sites and social media platforms. Additionally, to make the accounts appear more like real people, the group also posted about everyday topics such as fashion and beauty, alongside their political messages.
OpenAI stated that these accounts generated little impact, with minimal likes and shares on their content, but the company remains committed to continuing its efforts to address and investigate such malicious activities.
Reference:
2024-08-16. “Disrupting a Covert Iranian Influence Operation”. OpenAI. https://openai.com/index/disrupting-a-covert-iranian-influence-operation/, (Accessed 2024-08-22)
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