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OpenAI said on August 16, 2024, that it had banned accounts linked to an Iranian influence operation that used ChatGPT to generate content on several subjects, including the U.S. presidential campaign. The company said the election-related material commented on candidates on both sides and that the operation did not achieve meaningful audience engagement. It did not publish a numerical reach estimate or evidence of an effect on voters.
How the operation used ChatGPT
According to OpenAI’s August 16, 2024 announcement, accounts linked to the operation used ChatGPT to generate content about multiple topics. One was the U.S. presidential campaign. The material was then shared through social media accounts and websites.
This distinction matters: ChatGPT was described as a content-generation tool, while the websites and social accounts were the channels used to publish material. OpenAI’s announcement did not characterize the operation as exclusively election-focused.
Commentary on candidates on both sides
OpenAI described the election-related content as commentary on candidates on both sides. The announcement therefore does not support describing the material as solely in favor of, or opposed to, one candidate or party.
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What OpenAI said about the operation’s impact
OpenAI said the operation had not achieved meaningful audience engagement. That is a qualitative assessment, not a disclosed audience count; it does not establish that no one saw the content. The public account also does not provide a measured persuasion effect, evidence of changed voter behavior, or a complete total of accounts banned in connection with the activity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.“Notwithstanding the lack of meaningful audience engagement resulting from this operation, we take seriously any efforts to use our services in foreign influence operations.”
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— OpenAI, August 16, 2024
Why the activity was later called STORM-2035
OpenAI’s initial announcement in August 2024 described the activity as an Iranian influence operation. In an October 2024 case study, OpenAI identified the Iran-origin activity as STORM-2035. The later label belongs to that follow-up; it should not be mistaken for a statistic or a detail stated in the original announcement.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Independent reporting connected OpenAI’s investigation to Microsoft’s earlier reporting on STORM-2035. Microsoft had described an Iranian network using websites that posed as news outlets and engaging U.S. voter groups with polarizing messaging. Those network details are Microsoft’s reporting, not findings uniquely established by OpenAI’s August announcement. Coverage also reported that Microsoft’s work helped inform OpenAI’s investigation. Reuters reported on the connection.
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What the public evidence does—and does not—show
- Supported: OpenAI announced bans on accounts it linked to an Iranian influence operation that used ChatGPT-generated material on multiple topics, including the U.S. presidential campaign.
- Supported: OpenAI said campaign commentary covered candidates on both sides and that the activity did not gain meaningful audience engagement.
- Not established in the public account: a quantified audience, a measured effect on political opinions, changed voter behavior, or a complete account-level enforcement total.
- Separately attributed: details about STORM-2035’s news-like websites and polarizing outreach to U.S. voter groups come from Microsoft’s reporting as described in independent coverage.
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