Israeli “AI Bot” Starts Promoting Pro-Palestine Messages
Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that an “AI bot” designed by Israel to promote its narrative on social media has unexpectedly begun sharing pro-Palestine messages.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that an “AI bot” designed by Israel to promote its narrative on social media has unexpectedly begun sharing pro-Palestine messages.
The bot, called Fact Finder AI, was reportedly created to counter “misinformation” related to Israeli attacks before October 7, 2023. However, according to Haaretz, the AI bot has now started posting anti-Israel content on X (formerly Twitter), calling for support for Gaza and directing donors to charities backing Palestine. The bot even disputed claims about an Israeli family allegedly killed in the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and commented on the potential U.S. ban on TikTok. Currently, the bot has around 3,800 followers on X.
AI Bot Commenting on Pro-Israel Posts
Instead of generating its own posts, the AI bot primarily comments on posts from other users. In response to a pro-Israel post, the bot labeled Israeli soldiers as “white supremacists” and described Israel as “oppressive.”
In another instance, the bot responded to a post by stating that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken would be “remembered for his actions that caused Palestinian suffering and the destruction of Gaza.” The bot has also spread certain claims, including the allegation that Hamas continues to hold Israeli hostages who were supposedly released under the “ceasefire and prisoner exchange” agreement.
Uncertainty Over Israeli Government’s Involvement
Haaretz did not confirm whether the Israeli government directly funded the AI bot’s development or if it was created independently by a pro-Israel group. However, the report notes that an Israeli government agency, tasked with engaging Israeli citizens abroad, allocated approximately $550,000 for the use of AI in pro-Israel propaganda. The report also mentions a project called Hasbara Commando, which involved AI-generated automated comments.
Additionally, Haaretz cited an investigation by the Israeli NGO Fake Reporters, which revealed that Fact Finder AI was initially designed to share content supporting Israel and the Gaza war effort. However, it has now begun trolling pro-Israel accounts by posting pro-Palestinian content.
