Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
OpenAI says it banned two covert influence operations—one it traced to Russia and one to Iran—that used ChatGPT alongside familiar tactics such as false identities, fabricated organizations and media placements. Its October 8, 2026 report names them Dark Clark and Bogus Bylines. The company’s impact scores describe different channels and should not be mistaken for proof that audiences saw or believed the content.
What OpenAI says the two operations did
OpenAI described both campaigns as multi-dimensional efforts that mixed AI-assisted work with older influence techniques. The company says it disrupted the account activity on its services; the report is OpenAI’s account of its investigation, and its allegations should be attributed to the company rather than treated as independently established fact.
Dark Clark: a purported research platform
OpenAI nicknamed the Russia-origin operation Dark Clark. It said the account cluster targeted countries across Latin America, with activity that appeared aimed at damaging Ukraine’s reputation and some attention to local politics, particularly in Argentina and Bolivia. ChatGPT use most often involved drafting internal reports; operators also used it to create content and prepare reports about a purported research platform called the Social Research Center (SRC).
Recommended Free Tools
According to OpenAI, the operators appeared to control the SRC through the false persona “Mia Clark.” People working on the ground in Latin America appeared unaware of the Russian operation, the report said. OpenAI also said some campaign claims were corroborated by public fact-checks and official denials, while other claims could not be corroborated in open sources. It noted that material might have been removed, circulated privately or never spread. Operators sometimes took credit for events or arguments that were not their work, so their internal impact claims are not verified outcomes.
#1 Best Overall
Bogus Bylines: articles pitched under journalist identities
OpenAI nicknamed the Iran-origin operation Bogus Bylines. It said the campaign used seven purported journalist identities to pitch long-form articles, mainly about the US-Iran conflict. It also generated batches of social-media comments and internal reports. OpenAI identified almost 100 articles published or syndicated under the operation’s bylines across roughly a dozen online outlets.
OpenAI’s report describes deceptive bylines and outlets that published or syndicated articles; it does not establish that those outlets knowingly took part in the operation. The social-media replies appeared to have limited impact: OpenAI said they usually made up a minority of comments on posts and attracted little engagement.
How OpenAI scored impact—and what those scores do not show
OpenAI used the Brookings IO Breakout Scale, which it described as ranging from Category 1 (lowest) to Category 6 (highest). Its scores differ by operation and, for Bogus Bylines, by distribution channel.
| Activity assessed | OpenAI’s score | What the report says |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Clark | Category 5 | OpenAI called it the first Category 5 operation it had disrupted since it began publishing reports. |
| Bogus Bylines article publishing | Category 4 | OpenAI based the assessment on consistent publication across media outlets. |
| Bogus Bylines social-media replies | Category 2 | OpenAI cited little evidence of breakout or dominance in replies. |
These are assessments of separate activity, not a single score for the Iranian campaign as a whole. Nor do the scores establish how many people read, noticed or believed the material. OpenAI also identified a flaw in Bogus Bylines’ internal measurement: operators counted post views before and after replies rather than views attributable to the replies. OpenAI said this exaggerated the campaign’s apparent impact.
Rank #3
Outlet followers are not article readership
One outlet that published articles associated with Bogus Bylines had almost 2 million Facebook followers, almost 355,000 X followers and more than 544,000 Instagram followers, according to OpenAI’s counts as of August 2026. Those are the outlet’s account totals—not readership figures for the articles, evidence that followers encountered them, or proof that anyone accepted their claims.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the report establishes—and what remains uncertain
OpenAI reported 30 covert influence operations exposed since early 2024 and said these two operations used AI in combination with conventional influence tactics. Its findings are most useful when kept at that level: the report describes accounts, content production, publication activity and the company’s own impact assessments. It does not demonstrate that every claim attributed to the campaigns reached its intended audience or changed anyone’s views.
OpenAI’s broader assessment is that AI can help make false-front activity more scalable and polished, while disclosure can make covert operations harder to continue. That is the company’s analysis, not a measured result in the figures described here. The report’s key distinction is between producing and placing content—which it documented—and proving audience exposure or influence, which follower counts and operators’ internal reports do not establish.
The Tool Desk
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 →Source: OpenAI, “Disrupting AI-enabled ‘false front’ operations,” October 8, 2026.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
