DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇹 Austria /Elections & Politics

Russia used ChatGPT and fake institute in major influence campaign

From Der Standard · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Russia conducted an online influence campaign using ChatGPT and a fabricated think tank called the International Burke Institute (IBI).
  • The operation aimed to spread narratives supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin's agenda, targeting Ukraine and other nations.
  • OpenAI discovered the campaign, which used the fake institute to publish analyses and materials on sovereignty, leveraging the names of real experts.

Russia employed ChatGPT and a fictitious think tank, the International Burke Institute (IBI), in a sophisticated influence operation aimed at spreading pro-Kremlin narratives, particularly concerning Ukraine. OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, uncovered this cyber campaign.

The IBI, which launched its website in 2025, presented itself as a legitimate institution with experts from business and academia publishing analyses on sovereignty. However, it was a front for Russian disinformation efforts. The operation utilized ChatGPT to generate content that aligned with the agenda of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

OpenAI's discovery highlights the evolving tactics used in information warfare, where advanced AI tools are integrated into state-sponsored influence campaigns. The use of fabricated entities and the exploitation of real experts' names underscore the complexity of identifying and countering such operations.

About this summary

Originally published by Der Standard in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog