OpenAI bans Russia-origin cluster promoting fake Israel think tank Burke Institute

On August 25, OpenAI's Global Affairs team disclosed banning a cluster of Russia-origin ChatGPT accounts used to promote the International Burke Institute (IBI), a self-described Israel-based expert community. The site was registered in February 2025, claimed a roster including Fukuyama and Chomsky, but 34 of 36 sampled articles were copied from other sources, often with misattributed authors.

IBI's "sovereignty index" praised Russia and attacked France, Germany, the EU, and the US. ChatGPT's role was to generate promotional posts, replies, and Telegram channel logos for English and German-language platforms. OpenAI rates the impact at the low end of Brookings Breakout Scale Category 3; associated Telegram channels typically have 10,000-20,000 followers.

OpenAI emphasized this is not a model GA and does not claim ChatGPT wrote IBI's sovereignty reports. The key takeaway: AI as a supporting tool inside a broader authority-laundering operation is what made the cluster detectable. The announcement does not relate to other August events: the August 24 Alabama subpoena, the August 18 Astra Critical cybersecurity threshold, or the August 21 reversal on California SB 53.