A large-scale Chinese influence operation targeting dissidents overseas was inadvertently exposed after a Chinese law enforcement official used ChatGPT to document details of the covert campaign, according to a report released by OpenAI.
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The report said the official used ChatGPT as a kind of personal journal to record tactics aimed at intimidating critics of the Chinese Communist Party living abroad. In one case, operatives allegedly impersonated US immigration authorities to warn a Chinese dissident in the United States that their public statements had violated laws. In another instance, forged court documents were reportedly created to pressure social media platforms into removing dissidents’ accounts.
A sprawling Chinese influence operation – accidentally revealed by a Chinese law enforcement official’s use of ChatGPT – focused on intimidating Chinese dissidents abroad, including by impersonating US immigration officials, according to a new report from ChatGPT-maker OpenAI.…
— CNN International (@cnni) February 25, 2026
OpenAI investigators found that the operation involved hundreds of individuals and thousands of fake social media accounts used to spread false information and harassment campaigns. According to Ben Nimmo, the campaign reflects a sophisticated and coordinated form of modern repression targeting critics beyond China’s borders.
The ChatGPT user also reportedly described attempts to spread false rumors, including fabricating an obituary and gravestone images to falsely claim a dissident had died. Investigators later found that similar rumors appeared online in 2023, matching the user’s descriptions.
In another case, the official attempted to use AI tools to create a plan to discredit Japanese political leader Sanae Takaichi by promoting online criticism related to US tariffs. OpenAI said ChatGPT refused to assist with the request, and the company later banned the user after identifying the activity.
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The findings highlight growing concerns about how governments may use artificial intelligence to conduct influence operations. Experts warn that such activities demonstrate the expanding role of AI in geopolitical competition, particularly between China and the United States, as both countries compete for technological and strategic dominance.