Israeli Government's Fake US Research Institute Fails to Sway ChatGPT Narratives
Recent investigations by major US and UK media outlets have revealed that the Israeli government established a fictitious American research entity called the "Hanover Institute for Public Policy." This institute published hundreds of pro-Israel articles aimed at influencing popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT to adopt narratives favorable to Israel. The website, first identified by Politico, produced 124 articles within nine days, each averaging around 4,500 words, with 73 unsigned articles released in just two days in August 2025. These articles addressed contentious issues such as allegations of Palestinian prisoner torture, war crimes, and deliberate starvation in Gaza, presenting Israel's perspective without named authors, citing institutional publishing norms.
Analysis by Media 404 using AI detection software found that several articles were AI-generated, with only bibliographies written by humans. The Hanover Institute lacks legal status, physical address, or transparent funding disclosures, and its terms of use ambiguously reference the laws of an unspecified founding country. This revelation follows a similar disclosure by OpenAI about a Russian influence operation using a comparable fake research institute tactic.
The media production company Piro, based in New York, is behind the Hanover Institute and recently registered it under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), acknowledging its work for a foreign government. Piro offers "AI story optimization" services designed to enhance content credibility in large language models. The project is reportedly funded by the Israeli government with tens of millions of dollars and executed through the European advertising group Havas Media, which contracts Piro.
The institute's articles mimic chatbot queries and cite reputable sources like the World Bank, UN agencies, and Amnesty International. Tests showed ChatGPT referencing Hanover Institute reports but also warning users about the institute's controversial funding and purpose. Israeli government advertising contracts with Havas Media total hundreds of millions of dollars, but skepticism remains about the campaign's effectiveness. Despite extensive spending, Israeli officials acknowledge that American public opinion has shifted, with polls indicating growing sympathy for Palestinians and increasing negative views of Israel.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry denied conducting influence operations in the US and emphasized compliance with American law. Piro's co-founder stated their role is to provide accurate, verifiable information to counter misinformation about Israel. Other involved parties declined to comment.
