A Russian influence network used ChatGPT to pose as academic experts and promote a purported Israeli think tank, according to details of the operation that surfaced this week. The network published copied scholarship under academics' names and circulated pro-Russian analysis across social media, using the AI tool to create convincing fake personas.
How the Network Used ChatGPT
The operation leveraged ChatGPT to generate expert-sounding profiles and content, making it easier to pass off fabricated material as genuine academic work. By automating the creation of these personas, the network could scale its effort without relying on human writers, a shift that made the fake experts look more plausible.
The Purported Israeli Think Tank
At the center of the scheme was a think tank presented as an Israeli research institution. The think tank published copied academic papers under the names of real scholars, who had no connection to the operation. The stolen scholarship was repackaged to lend credibility to the network's pro-Russian messaging, according to the reporting on the incident.
Spreading Pro-Russian Analysis
The operation then distributed its pro-Russian analysis across social media platforms, likely using the fake academic identities to boost trust. The content appeared to come from independent experts, even though it was generated by the influence network. The specific platforms and the extent of the distribution have not been fully disclosed.
Unanswered Questions
The full scope of the operation remains unclear. It is not known how many fake personas were created, how many academics' names were used without permission, or how much of the copied scholarship was republished. The report also did not name the specific social media accounts or platforms where the content spread, leaving open the question of how widespread the network reach truly was.
