OpenAI uncovered a Chinese influence operation that used ChatGPT as a diary and other tools to manage a large network of fake accounts, impersonate officials, and fabricate obituaries and forged documents to harass critics.

During a mid-October 2025 planning session, operatives sought help designing a covert campaign targeting Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi, but the model declined to assist.

OpenAI identified the activity, connected it to a broader network, and banned the user involved.

Experts, including Ben Nimmo, stress the need for vigilance, better detection, international collaboration, and robust AI governance to counter evolving threats.

The risk landscape shows environment-layer and model-layer threats—AI workloads scale complexity and can obscure attacks, demanding stronger defenses.

The broader takeaway is that both state and non-state actors are increasingly weaving AI into influence operations, requiring ongoing monitoring by platforms and researchers.

Threat actors show growing interest in agentic AI concepts, attempting to prompt specialized personas and automate vulnerability analysis, C2 development, and data exfiltration, though widespread autonomous deployments remain limited.

Industry players like Google are pushing proactive defenses with better detectors, asset takedowns, safety measures, and intelligence sharing, while experimental tools illustrate AI’s potential for proactive vulnerability discovery.

AI accelerates cybercrime by automating phishing, malware creation, and fraud, while also serving as a defense force multiplier through improved detection and faster analysis.

The report highlights how AI-enabled manipulation poses risks, yet AI can also aid investigations into influence campaigns.

Experts warn that AI can elevate state-backed information operations and surveillance, underscoring evolving risks in AI-enabled influence campaigns.

The political, economic, and social implications include higher demand for AI safety and cybersecurity, potential export controls, and a chilling effect on activism and public discourse.