OpenAI: Iranian ChatGPT accounts deleted, trying to influence US elections

ChatGPT developer OpenAI has taken offline accounts allegedly used by the chatbot for the Iranian influence campaign. A network of Iranian accounts is said to have produced fake news about the US presidential elections, among other things. OpenAI says. Articles were made about the Democratic and Republican candidates.

The accounts asked ChatGPT to write texts on various topics, such as the US presidential elections, the conflict in Gaza and Israel’s presence at the Olympic Games. Both longer articles and short comments were created. These texts were then shared through social media and other websites, OpenAI says.

According to OpenAI, the messages appear to have had little impact. Most social media posts received few or no comments.

The American tech company says that the accounts are part of an initiative in Iran called Storm-2035. Microsoft warned for that earlier this month. There are several news sites called that network where fake news generated by AI can be read.

At the beginning of this week it was announced that the FBI investigating in possible hacking efforts by Iran targeting the campaigns of President Biden, Vice President Harris and presidential candidate Trump. Three Democratic campaign workers are said to have received phishing emails, possibly from Iran, but the hacking attempt is said to have failed, according to CNN and The Washington Post.

Hackers would have been successful with Trump’s team. They are said to have gained access to the personal email account of Roger Stone, a prominent Republican and Trump confidant. The hackers are said to have tried to access enterprise networks through their account, sources told CNN. Iran denies the allegations.