OpenAI says Russian and Iranian influence operations used ChatGPT
OpenAI said it banned Russian and Iranian accounts that used ChatGPT to support covert influence campaigns, including fake personas, a think tank and nearly 100 articles across about a dozen outlets.
By DoomRadar · Published on DoomRadar . Updated .
Event date: OpenAI said the operations were active from July 2025 through October 2026, with activity increasing after the U.S.-Iran war began earlier in 2026. [1]
What happened
OpenAI said it banned clusters of Russian- and Iranian-origin ChatGPT accounts that supported false-front entities used for geopolitical and conflict-related messaging. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- OpenAI says Iran, Russia influence ops bustedal-monitor.com · Article published: Oct 8, 2026, 11:24 PM UTC
The company said it identified almost 100 articles published or syndicated under the operation’s bylines across roughly a dozen online outlets. The earliest identified article was from July 2025 and the latest from October 2026. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- OpenAI says Iran, Russia influence ops bustedal-monitor.com · Article published: Oct 8, 2026, 11:24 PM UTC
OpenAI said the Russian operation targeted Latin American countries, seeking to undermine support for Ukraine and influence local politics. Internal reports described a fake think tank that recruited unwitting researchers. [2][3]
References for this detail (2)
- OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaignsknpr.org · Article published: Oct 8, 2026, 8:25 PM UTC
- OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaignswcbe.org · Article published: Oct 8, 2026, 8:25 PM UTC
The Iranian operation used ChatGPT for Persian- and English-language content focused mainly on the U.S.-Iran war. OpenAI characterized its activity as appearing consistent with a commercial, for-hire campaign but said it could not identify who commissioned it. [2][3]
References for this detail (2)
- OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaignsknpr.org · Article published: Oct 8, 2026, 8:25 PM UTC
- OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaignswcbe.org · Article published: Oct 8, 2026, 8:25 PM UTC
OpenAI said the campaigns that placed false narratives in established media appeared to reach a wider audience than those relying mainly on fake social-media accounts. One internal account also claimed the effort prompted a response from a European Parliament member. [2][3]
References for this detail (2)
- OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaignsknpr.org · Article published: Oct 8, 2026, 8:25 PM UTC
- OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaignswcbe.org · Article published: Oct 8, 2026, 8:25 PM UTC
Context from the sources
The operation also generated social-media comments related to the U.S.-Iran war. OpenAI said the frequency of reports increased after that war began earlier in 2026. [1]
OpenAI’s account of the Russian operation included reports written with ChatGPT for unspecified superiors, while the Iranian activity used the tool more directly to help produce outward-facing multilingual content. [2][3]
What happened before, and what is different now
A documented earlier episode helps explain a possible mechanism. Its outcome does not predict this event.
The earlier episode
OpenAI said the Russian effort to pose as an independent news outlet resembled a 2020 operation linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Internet Research Agency. [2][3]
What connects them
Both episodes used apparently independent media or research structures to make influence messaging appear more credible. [1][2]
What is different
The current operation used ChatGPT to assist with reports, multilingual content and campaign activity, while the excerpt characterizes the 2020 case as an earlier fake-news outlet operation.
What to watch here
The comparison shows continuity in deceptive distribution methods, but the current evidence does not establish that AI produced all or most of the campaign material.
Explore the sources and reporting timeline
3 source links · 3 domains
These counts describe the references, not independent confirmations. Different outlets can repeat the same original report.
1 of these links repeat a headline already present, allowing for punctuation and publisher branding. Repeated wording is not additional confirmation.
Source timeline
Oldest to newest among the available source dates, not a chronology of the incident. Article publication dates come from the source; other recorded dates may reflect when a link was found.
- [3] OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaignswcbe.orgReferenced for: detail 3, detail 4, detail 5
- [2] OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaignsknpr.orgReferenced for: detail 3, detail 4, detail 5
- [1] OpenAI says Iran, Russia influence ops bustedal-monitor.comReferenced for: detail 1, detail 2
Questions answered by the reporting
What this could mean for you
False conflict or political narratives may appear across news and social platforms
Covert operators used fake personas, front entities, multilingual content and media placement to distribute messaging
Reported basis: [1][2][3] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: The material is republished or accepted without detecting the underlying identities and coordination
Possible time frame: weeks, if those conditions hold.
Public understanding of the U.S.-Iran war and support for Ukraine could be distorted
The campaigns targeted those issues and sought to influence political attitudes
Reported basis: [1][2][3] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: The narratives gain audience reach or prompt responses from institutions and public figures
Possible time frame: weeks, if those conditions hold.
Possible consequences, not a forecast. Their relevance depends on your location and the conditions above.
For your country
Choose a country to check how this event could affect you.
What changes the outlook
Risk increases if…
More false-front outlets or multilingual campaigns could expand the reach of the identified tactics.
Narratives placed in established media could spread further than content confined to fake social-media accounts.
Pressure eases if…
Platform bans and continued investigation could disrupt the accounts and entities identified by OpenAI.
Independent verification by publishers and researchers could reduce the chance that false personas or narratives are amplified.
Still unclear
OpenAI did not identify the operator behind the Iranian-linked campaign.
The excerpts do not establish how many people saw or acted on the published material.
Market implications
Market impact
Sources (3)
References for the reported details. Separate links do not necessarily mean independent confirmation.
Available excerpt
OpenAI on Thursday said it shut down two influence operations -- from Russia and Iran -- that used ChatGPT to push fake journalist personas and…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
OpenAI said in a blog post on Thursday that it banned Russian and Iranian accounts that were using the company's artificial intelligence tools to help…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
OpenAI said in a blog post on Thursday that it banned Russian and Iranian accounts that were using the company's artificial intelligence tools to help…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
AI-assisted analysis · . Based on linked headlines and available excerpts. Methodology · Report an error.