OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, announced on Thursday (May 30) that it had disrupted five covert influence operations employing its artificial intelligence models for "deceptive activity" across the internet. The firm revealed that threat actors utilized its AI models to create short comments, longer articles in various languages, fabricated names, and bios for social media accounts over the past three months. These campaigns, involving actors from Russia, China, Iran, and Israel, targeted various issues such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Gaza conflict, the Indian elections, and political matters in Europe and the United States.

OpenAI described these deceptive operations as an "attempt to manipulate public opinion or influence political outcomes." This report underscores growing concerns about the potential misuse of advanced AI technology, capable of generating human-like text, imagery, and audio swiftly and easily. In response to these concerns, OpenAI announced the formation of a Safety and Security Committee led by board members, including CEO Sam Altman, to oversee the training of its upcoming AI model.

Despite these efforts, OpenAI clarified that the deceptive campaigns did not gain increased audience engagement or reach through its services. Additionally, it noted that these operations often combined AI-generated material with manually written texts or memes sourced from various internet sources.

Separately, Meta Platforms disclosed in its quarterly security report on Wednesday that it had detected instances of "likely AI-generated" content used deceptively on its Facebook and Instagram platforms. These included comments praising Israel's handling of the Gaza conflict, posted beneath content from global news organizations and US lawmakers.