{"slug": "moscow-turned-ai-into-a-ghostwriting-machine-for-global-influence", "title": "Moscow Turned AI into a Ghostwriting Machine for Global Influence", "summary": "OpenAI has identified and banned ChatGPT accounts linked to Russia that were used to covertly push Kremlin talking points and create a fake research community, including a fake Israel-based think tank called the International Policy Institute. The operation, which used VPNs to bypass restrictions, generated posts in English and German, attacked Ukraine and the EU, and created logos for Telegram channels, with some channels amassing 10,000 to 20,000 subscribers. OpenAI assessed the immediate reach as low but warned the infrastructure could enable future influence campaigns.", "body_md": "- Category\n[World](https://united24media.com/world)\n\n# How Moscow Turned AI Into a Ghostwriting Machine for Global Influence\n\n[Prefer U24 Media on Google](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=united24media.com)\n\nOpenAI has identified and banned a series of [ChatGPT](https://united24media.com/anti-fake/russia-runs-chatgpt-powered-propaganda-farms-to-target-africa-openai-report-16459) accounts linked to Russia that were secretly used to push Kremlin talking points and create the illusion of an independent research community.\n\nAccessing the system through virtual private networks to circumvent geographic restrictions, the operators [directed ](https://openai.com/index/disrupting-malicious-uses-of-ai-influence-campaign-russia/)artificial intelligence to write posts and comments in English while explicitly instructing the models to conceal any Russian origin.\n\nWe bring you stories from the ground. **Your support keeps our team in the field.**\n\n[DONATE NOW](https://united24media.com/donate?banner_variant=article_small)\n\nThe operation centered around a fake entity registered in February 2025 called the International Policy Institute, which claimed to be an Israel-based think tank.\n\nA review of 36 articles published on the institute site between September 2025 and May 2026 revealed that 34 were stolen from online sources.\n\nThe covert network generated tailored social media and messenger content across multiple platforms, including X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Telegram.\n\nBeyond promoting fake think tank materials, the operators produced German-language posts attacking Ukraine, the European Union, and the German government, while advocating for closer ties with Moscow.\n\nThe artificial intelligence tool was also deployed to craft logos for roughly a dozen Telegram channels targeting audiences in Germany, the United States, France, Poland, and Turkey, with specific channels amassing between 10,000 and 20,000 subscribers.\n\nA key feature of the effort was a self-styled sovereignty index created to portray Russia favorably while disparaging countries opposing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.\n\nWhile OpenAI assessed the immediate reach of the posts as low, researchers emphasized that the main risk lay in establishing infrastructure for future foreign influence, expanding on earlier Russian plans targeting African elections in countries like Burundi, Cameroon, and Madagascar with budgets reaching $600,000 annually.\n\nRussian-linked influence operations [targeting](https://united24media.com/world/russian-disinformation-network-manufactures-fake-news-campaign-about-an-armenia-russia-war-18850) Western audiences have intensified in recent weeks. On the same day, it was reported about a Russian-linked network that circulated at least 20 fabricated video clips pushing narratives about a possible future war between Armenia and Russia.\n\nThe identical campaign reportedly involved fabricated covers attributed to French outlets such as *Libération* and* Ouest-France*, along with AI-generated clips featuring actors from the US television series The Office.\n\nDiscuss this article:", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/moscow-turned-ai-into-a-ghostwriting-machine-for-global-influence", "canonical_source": "https://united24media.com/world/how-moscow-turned-ai-into-a-ghostwriting-machine-for-global-influence-21980", "published_at": "2026-08-26 17:47:17+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-26 18:13:28.280637+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-policy", "ai-safety"], "entities": ["OpenAI", "ChatGPT", "International Policy Institute", "Kremlin", "Russia", "Ukraine", "European Union", "Telegram"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/moscow-turned-ai-into-a-ghostwriting-machine-for-global-influence", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/moscow-turned-ai-into-a-ghostwriting-machine-for-global-influence.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/moscow-turned-ai-into-a-ghostwriting-machine-for-global-influence.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/moscow-turned-ai-into-a-ghostwriting-machine-for-global-influence.jsonld"}}