OpenAI has recently taken action against an Iranian group’s ChatGPT accounts for attempting to influence U.S. elections. The company revealed that the group, identified as Storm-2035, utilized ChatGPT to create content focusing on various topics such as the U.S. presidential election, the Gaza conflict, and the rights of Latinx communities in the U.S.
The operation involved generating long-form articles and social media comments using ChatGPT, which were then published on fake news websites posing as both progressive and conservative outlets. However, OpenAI noted that the campaign did not result in significant audience engagement, with most social media posts receiving minimal interactions.
In light of this discovery, OpenAI has banned the accounts associated with the Iranian influence campaign from using its services. The company has also shared the threat intelligence with relevant stakeholders, including government, campaign, and industry partners, and will remain vigilant for any further attempts to violate its policies.
This development follows a report released by Microsoft in early August, which detailed Iran’s efforts to target U.S. elections. The report highlighted the activities of the Iranian network Storm-2035, which aimed to engage U.S. voter groups with polarizing messaging on various issues.
In response to these revelations, Republican nominee Donald Trump confirmed that one of his campaign websites had been hacked by the Iranian government. As concerns about foreign influence in U.S. elections continue to grow, companies like OpenAI and Microsoft are working to identify and counter such threats to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process.
