BIG: Iran, China, and Israeli companies ran first-of-its-kind AI influence campaigns using Chinese open-source models (including DeepSeek) to create autonomous "agents" that handled every step—from opening fake social media accounts to coordinating messages—with minimal human involvement.

BIG: Iran, China, and Israeli companies ran first-of-its-kind AI influence campaigns using Chinese open-source models (including DeepSeek) to create autonomous "agents" that handled every step—from opening fake social media accounts to coordinating messages—with minimal human involvement.

The AI ​​agents created networks of fake accounts on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok, posting about politics and current events to sway opinion.

Iran's campaign was extremely worrying.

Agents impersonated ordinary Americans in major cities, tagged journalists and politicians, spread anti-Republican memes and gained about 80,000 followers in H1 2026.

One Israeli campaign was run by IntelEye (founded by NSO Group alumni) using DeepSeek to control thousands of accounts posting pro- and anti-Netanyahu content ahead of Israel's October elections. IntelEye claims it was "defensive research".

Source: NYT