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OpenAI blocks Russian ChatGPT accounts promoting alleged fake Israeli think tank

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • OpenAI has blocked ChatGPT accounts originating from Russia that were used to promote the International Burke Institute (IBI), an Israel-based think tank.
  • The IBI's "sovereignty index" appeared to praise Russia and its allies while criticizing Western nations, suggesting a Russian influence campaign.
  • OpenAI found that many articles on the IBI website were copied from academic writings, sometimes with incorrect attributions or machine translations, to create a facade of legitimacy.

OpenAI has taken action against several ChatGPT accounts believed to be operating from Russia and involved in promoting the International Burke Institute (IBI). This Israel-based think tank describes itself as an "expert community" that publishes original research and maintains an open-access library on sovereignty.

The most concerning aspect identified by OpenAI was the IBI's "sovereignty index." This index appeared to be designed to favor Russia and its allies while disparaging Western nations. OpenAI's investigation also revealed that the account owners were likely using VPNs to circumvent ChatGPT's unavailability in Russia, further indicating coordinated activity.

Following its investigation, OpenAI concluded that the IBI and its associated activities were part of a broader Russian propaganda operation. This operation extended beyond ChatGPT to include various social media platforms such as Substack, Telegram, X, LinkedIn, and Facebook. The IBI claimed to be a large think tank with numerous experts, listing a Tel Aviv mailing address on its website.

However, OpenAI's report noted discrepancies, including the copying of many articles from existing academic works, some with incorrect attributions, outdated information, or appearing to be machine-translated from Slavic languages. This practice suggested an attempt to bolster the website's credibility with academic content while obscuring the true origin of the material. Despite the low engagement on IBI's social media accounts, the association with a seemingly credible institution aimed to lend an air of academic validation to the content.

operates in Israel, publishes original research and analytical materials, and maintains an open-access library of significant works by contemporary scholars of sovereignty, with full source attribution. IBI brings together researchers, experts, journalists, and authors from different countries, cultural backgrounds, and professional traditions.

— International Burke Institute (IBI)Description of the think tank's operations as stated by the IBI.
About this summary

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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