Israel and ChatGPT: How Artificial Intelligence is shaping the narrative on the Gaza Strip in 2026

MarGib September 02, 2026

🌐 🇵🇱 Polski · 🇬🇧 EN

Recently, the world has been abuzz with reports on how advanced artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, have been used to steer the narrative surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. Is this the beginning of a new era of manipulation, where algorithms become a key weapon in information warfare?

Ilustracja przedstawiająca zautomatyzowaną kampanię dezinformacyjną z użyciem sztucznej inteligencji, gdzie setki rąk robotów generują treści na media społecznościowe. — Visualization of an AI-driven influence campaign – how algorithms shape the narrative of the conflict.

How was ChatGPT used to shape opinions on the conflict in the Gaza Strip?

In social media and news outlets, there is increasing talk of influence campaigns in which artificial intelligence plays a key role. According to reports from independent researchers and investigative journalists, specialized entities have allegedly used ChatGPT to mass-generate posts, comments, and articles supporting specific geopolitical narratives. Hundreds of accounts, often with difficult-to-verify identities, have disseminated this content on popular platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

What exactly were these profiles doing? They published posts intended to:

Unilaterally present the arguments of one side of the conflict and justify military actions.
Discredit political and military opponents, often omitting humanitarian context and civilian casualties.
Promote claims about the use of civilians as human shields.
Build strong emotions around the tragedy of victims, sometimes using unverified or manipulated details.

It is worth noting that officially linking these activities to specific governments or armies is extremely difficult to prove. As analyses published in the international press indicate, these operations are most often commissioned to private technology firms and PR agencies. These entities, operating in a gray area, offer services in political marketing and information warfare, which allows the clients to maintain a convenient plausible deniability regarding any connection to these practices.

Manipulation methods: How do modern influence campaigns work?

Modern disinformation campaigns rely on several advanced techniques that allow for mass and low-cost reach to public opinion:

1. Automated content generation

Coordinated networks of accounts use language models to create unique texts based on precisely prepared instructions (prompts). An algorithm can be tasked with writing an emotional comment defending a specific political decision or an article undermining the credibility of the other side's reports.

Content prepared in this way is then tailored to specific target audiences. Different arguments reach users with liberal views, while others are directed at conservatives. Such personalization drastically increases the effectiveness of the message.

2. Fake identities and next-generation bots

Profiles involved in the campaign no longer resemble old, primitive bots. They possess realistic profile pictures generated by AI and elaborate, fictional life stories. They can pose as independent experts, students, or eyewitnesses to events, which creates an appearance of authenticity and makes them harder to unmask quickly.

3. Use of deepfakes and speech synthesis

Although text still dominates, video materials and audio recordings created by artificial intelligence are increasingly coming into play. Short, manipulated clips featuring alleged statements from witnesses or participants of events end up on video platforms, where they instantly gain viral reach.

4. Bypassing traditional security measures

Because every post generated by a language model is unique, traditional spam filters and moderation algorithms have a huge problem detecting them. There is no simple copying of the same phrases, which previously allowed social media platforms to quickly block bot farms. Moreover, algorithms that promote engagement naturally boost the reach of posts that trigger extreme emotions.

Who and how is exposing such activities?

Detecting these types of operations is the merit of independent research organizations, investigative journalists, and cybersecurity firms. They analyze unusual network behavior patterns, such as the simultaneous activity of hundreds of accounts or the unnatural repetition of arguments.

The reaction of AI technology creators is usually diplomatic. Technology companies declare continuous improvement of their security systems and the blocking of accounts that violate terms of service. More about their official actions and implemented security measures can be read on the openai blog.

In turn, the governments of countries whose entities are suspected of conducting such campaigns most often distance themselves from the accusations or ignore them entirely, which is standard practice in information warfare.

International reactions and expert voices

Reports on the use of artificial intelligence to manipulate public opinion during humanitarian crises are sparking sharp opposition worldwide. Representatives of international organizations regularly call for a debate on the ethical boundaries of technology. Official positions and appeals on this matter are published by, among others, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which can be read on the OHCHR website.

In Europe, there is increasing talk about the need to introduce strict legal regulations. This topic is the subject of legislative work aimed at protecting democratic processes from digital disinformation. Details regarding EU debates and planned legal steps are available on the European Parliament website.

Experts in AI ethics and media researchers warn that current incidents are merely a preview of a much larger problem. They point out that without global agreements and the commitment of the technology creators themselves, the fight against mass disinformation generated by machines will be doomed to failure.

Why are defense systems failing?

The rapid development of language models has caught social media platform creators off guard. There are several reasons why defense against digital manipulation is so difficult:

1. Weakness of AI content detectors

Tools available on the market for recognizing texts written by artificial intelligence are still not precise enough. They generate many false positives, and a minor modification of the generated text by a human is enough to deceive most filters.

2. Business model of social media platforms

Social media algorithms are designed to maximize time spent on the platform. Controversial content that triggers anger or compassion – which is what bots most often generate – fits perfectly into this mechanism, which is why it is naturally promoted.

3. Easy access to technology

The lack of effective identity verification for users when registering for AI tools means that anyone – from a teenager to a specialized intelligence agency – can gain access to powerful language models at minimal cost.

Long-term consequences for society

The growing scale of AI use in propaganda carries serious threats to public discourse:

1. Crisis of trust in information

When recipients realize how easily text or video can be fabricated, they begin to doubt everything they see online. Such a state of permanent skepticism undermines credible journalism and makes it difficult to build social consensus around key topics.

2. Threat to electoral processes

The ability to influence voters on a mass, cheap, and personalized scale is a powerful weapon in the hands of populists and foreign state actors. This can lead to even deeper polarization of societies.

3. Pressure for legal regulations

This situation forces governments to accelerate the introduction of regulations such as the European AI Act, which impose an obligation on technology providers to label content generated by algorithms.

Who else is using these methods?

The use of new technologies for information warfare is not the domain of a single country or organization. It is a global trend in which many players participate:

Russia: For years associated with the systematic use of troll farms and psychological operations to destabilize Western democracies.
China: Focuses on building a positive image of the state on the international stage and neutralizing criticism regarding internal policy.
Other political entities: Increasingly, election headquarters and interest groups in democratic countries are reaching for the same tools, trying to influence voter decisions through micro-targeted campaigns.

What's next? The future of public discourse

We are facing a huge challenge. Artificial intelligence has permanently settled into the arsenal of information warfare, and its capabilities will only grow. The key to defending against manipulation will not only be the development of bot detection technology but, above all, media literacy and building social resilience to disinformation.

If you are interested in the topic of detecting AI-generated content, read our article on methods for bypassing AI detectors. It is also worth checking out our analysis of the influence of algorithms on our perception of reality.