U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth launched an attack on the "CNN" network after it published a report about entities operating from Iran using artificial intelligence tools and fake journalistic identities to publish articles criticizing the American war on Tehran in media outlets.

Fake Journalists

Hegseth wrote in a post on the "X" platform, addressing the network: "You fall into the trap over and over again because you hate the president more than you love the country and our soldiers." The minister was responding to a report published by "CNN," based on results announced by "OpenAI" regarding a media influence operation that used its models to create and promote political content through media outlets and social media platforms. "OpenAI" revealed that about 12 media organizations worldwide published nearly 100 articles attributed to 7 fake journalists, as part of an activity that used artificial intelligence to influence public discourse regarding the war with Iran.

Ban on Some Accounts

The company reported that it banned accounts on "ChatGPT" that were used by those behind the activity to rephrase articles and proposals for publication in Persian, as well as to generate tailored comments for social media platforms. Some of the articles addressed U.S. policy towards Iran, Jared Kushner's role in foreign policy, and the credibility of Western positions during the war. It noted that the institutions that published the articles do not appear to include major, widely circulated American media, but some have a significant online following. Among those institutions is the "Middle East Monitor," based in London, which has around two million followers on "Facebook." The site's director, Dawood Abdullah, stated that he would review the articles referenced by "OpenAI" and take appropriate action. The American platform "LA Progressive" published an article discussing Kushner and foreign policy, while "CNN" said it requested a comment from the platform.

Artificial Comments to Shape the Discussion

The operation was not limited to publishing articles; "OpenAI" reported that users of the accounts requested "ChatGPT" to create comments that appeared to be from real readers interacting with the published materials. The suggested comments addressed missile strikes, ceasefires, and diplomatic moves, directing the content to portray the United States as the aggressor, Israel as an untrustworthy ally, and Iran as a resilient victim. Jessica Brandt, a former official at the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center, considered that the arrival of this content to actual media institutions represents an important development in influence operation methods. She noted that artificial intelligence allows entities conducting these campaigns to obscure their identity more intricately and use real media channels to expand the reach of their messages.

Who is Behind This Campaign?

Despite the activity's connection to Iran, "OpenAI" emphasized that it could not definitively identify the responsible party or prove a link to the Iranian government. The company stated that the nature of the activity appears consistent with an influence operation carried out by a commercial entity on behalf of another party, but it could not determine the identity of the involved party. This issue comes amid the increasing use of artificial intelligence tools in media campaigns related to wars, whether to produce articles under pseudonyms or to prepare videos and comments aimed at shaping public opinion. "CNN" had discussed the use of artificial intelligence to produce satirical clips related to the war, as well as the risks of misleading intelligence information that is created or processed using these technologies.