{
  "id": 12986525,
  "title": "OpenAI says Iran, Russia influence ops busted",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/openai-says-iran-russia-influence-ops-busted-12986525",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-08T23:51:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/10/09/openai-says-iran-russia-influence-ops-busted"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "OpenAI announced the shutdown of two influence operations, one originating from Russia and another from Iran, that utilized ChatGPT to disseminate fake news and anti-Ukraine propaganda. The report highlights how state actors can exploit readily accessible AI tools to carry out sophisticated propaganda campaigns on a large scale.\n\nOpenAI identified and banned a series of ChatGPT accounts tied to Russia and Iran, which were used to create fake journalist personas for geopolitical messaging. In the Iranian operation, seven profiles were created, each claiming to be from Western nations like the United States. These accounts were used to publish numerous articles in various online outlets, primarily covering international affairs and Middle Eastern events. The operation began in July 2025 and peaked after the US-Iran conflict started this year, with articles continuing to appear until October 2026.\n\nThe Russian operation involved a more complex scheme, where unwitting individuals in Latin America were recruited to run a think-tank called the Social Research Center (SRC). The SRC's employees were unaware they were working for a Russian group. The think-tank's content was largely generated by co-opted staff, making it the most intricate operation disrupted by OpenAI in the past two and a half years.",
  "summary": "The two operations used ChatGPT to create fake journalist personas and run a think tank to covertly peddle anti-Ukraine propaganda.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Fast Company",
        "title": "OpenAI’s ChatGPT for Teens poses an ‘unacceptable risk’ to kids, says watchdog",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/openais-chatgpt-for-teens-poses-an-unacceptable-risk-to-kids-says",
        "published": "2026-10-08T14:45:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Russia leaned on ChatGPT to run global anti-Ukraine campaign, OpenAI says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/russia-leaned-on-chatgpt-to-run-global-anti-ukraine-campaign-openai",
        "published": "2026-10-08T18:28:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "OpenAI users in Russia, Iran used models to push political agenda online, in media",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/openai-users-in-russia-iran-used-models-to-push-political-agenda",
        "published": "2026-10-08T23:26:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "OpenAI says Iran, Russia influence ops busted",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/openai-says-iran-russia-influence-ops-busted",
        "published": "2026-10-08T23:30:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "OpenAI says Iran, Russia influence ops busted",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/openai-says-iran-russia-influence-ops-busted-12986310",
        "published": "2026-10-08T23:42:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "OpenAI bans Russian, Iranian ChatGPT propaganda networks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/openai-bans-russian-iranian-chatgpt-propaganda-networks",
        "published": "2026-10-08T23:42:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "OpenAI says Iran, Russia influence ops busted",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/openai-says-iran-russia-influence-ops-busted-12989068",
        "published": "2026-10-08T23:51:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NPR",
        "title": "OpenAI caught Russians and Iranians using ChatGPT for influence campaigns",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/openai-caught-russians-and-iranians-using-chatgpt-for-influence",
        "published": "2026-10-09T00:25:15.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}