Fake US thinktank set up and funded by Israel sought to game AI for propaganda

Israel funded and directed the creation of a fake American thinktank designed to manipulate AI systems for propaganda purposes, the Guardian reported on 26 August.

According to the report, the operation involved establishing what appeared to be an independent US policy research organization, which was in fact backed by Israeli funding and coordination. The thinktank’s outputs were structured to influence how artificial intelligence models process and surface information, seeking to shape AI-generated content and responses on matters relevant to Israeli interests.

The Guardian’s account, drawn from its investigation and circulated via Hacker News, did not specify the precise mechanisms used to game AI systems, nor the scale of the thinktank’s output or its measurable effect on any specific AI platform. The report identified the effort as part of a broader pattern of state-linked influence operations adapting to new technologies.

No named individuals or specific AI companies were cited in the material reviewed. The report did not include direct comment from the Israeli government or from the thinktank itself confirming or denying the funding arrangement.

The disclosure adds to a growing body of documented cases in which state or state-linked actors have sought to exploit large language models and AI-driven information systems as vectors for propaganda, rather than relying solely on traditional media channels.