{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/openai-disrupted-russian-and-iranian-covert-influence-operations-using","json":"https://digestai.news/story/openai-disrupted-russian-and-iranian-covert-influence-operations-using.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/openai-disrupted-russian-and-iranian-covert-influence-operations-using.md","slug":"openai-disrupted-russian-and-iranian-covert-influence-operations-using","headline":"OpenAI disrupted Russian and Iranian covert influence operations using ChatGPT","summary":"OpenAI reported disrupting two covert influence operations—one from Russia and one from Iran—that used ChatGPT to support false-front entities over the past two and a half years. The Russian operation, nicknamed “Dark Clark,” used ChatGPT to draft internal reports, manage a fake research platform called the Social Research Center (SRC), and co-opt individuals in Latin America to spread disinformation targeting Ukraine and local leaders in Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador. The Iranian operation, dubbed “Bogus Bylines,” used ChatGPT to refine long-form articles and generate social media comments under seven fake journalist personas to pitch content to small and medium online outlets worldwide, focusing on the US-Iran conflict. Both operations used VPNs to access ChatGPT from restricted regions and employed AI to improve linguistic fluency and workflow efficiency. OpenAI assessed the Russian operation as Category 5 and the Iranian as Category 4 on its Breakout Scale, marking the first Category 5 disruption since its reporting began. The company shared information with relevant authorities and stated that exposing such operations makes them harder to sustain.","keyPoints":["OpenAI disrupted a Russian operation (Dark Clark) and an Iranian operation (Bogus Bylines) using ChatGPT for covert influence","The Russian operation used ChatGPT to manage a fake think tank (SRC) and co-opt Latin American individuals to spread disinformation","The Iranian operation used seven fake journalist personas to pitch articles to online outlets about the US-Iran conflict"],"whyItMatters":"These disclosures show how AI can be used to scale and sophistication influence operations, highlighting the need for detection and responsible disclosure to defend democratic processes and public discourse.","category":{"slug":"policy","name":"Policy & Regulation","url":"https://digestai.news/category/policy"},"entities":{"companies":["OpenAI"],"models":["ChatGPT"],"people":[]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-08T00:00:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-08T00:00:00Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":true,"sources":[{"outlet":"OpenAI","title":"Disrupting AI-enabled “false front” operations","url":"https://openai.com/index/disrupting-ai-enabled-false-front-operations","publishedAt":"2026-10-08T00:00:00Z","type":"primary","primary":true,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"OpenAI disrupted Russian and Iranian covert influence operations using ChatGPT\", 8 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/openai-disrupted-russian-and-iranian-covert-influence-operations-using","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"OpenAI disrupted Russian and Iranian covert influence operations using ChatGPT","datePublished":"2026-10-08T00:00:00Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/openai-disrupted-russian-and-iranian-covert-influence-operations-using"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}