Israel establishes fake think tank to influence artificial intelligence

Photo: Collected

IT Desk: Israel has established a fake think tank to influence how artificial intelligence chatbots respond to user queries. This sensational piece of information was revealed in a news report published by the Daily Sabah, citing a report from the disinformation and research journal 'Responsible Statecraft'.

​According to the report, the institution named 'Hanover Institute for Public Policy' presents itself as an American-style research organization focusing on Israel and Palestine issues.

​However, it is not an independent think tank.

​A disclaimer on the website states that it was created by an entity called 'Piro Inc' on behalf of the Israeli government's advertising agency. Daniel Rosenberg, co-founder of Piro Inc, was a producer of American director Spike Lee's 2006 film 'Inside Man'.

​The organization has published over 100 reports since August 6. These reports address key social and political questions, such as "What caused the displacement of Palestinians in 1948?" and "What is the current situation in the Gaza Strip?"

​To make the content acceptable to AI chatbots and LLMs (Large Language Models), the reports utilized footnotes, tables of contents, specific statistics, and neutral language.

​Piro Inc described this service of theirs as 'AI Story Optimization'. They claim that their content is generated or engineered precisely according to how LLMs evaluate the credibility of information.

​Alice Lee, an analyst at the disinformation tracking firm 'NewsGuard', stated, "Large language models prefer specific statistics, information, and strong citations or sources—all of which are present in these articles."

​She further noted that by using a common name, layout, and a red-white-and-blue American flag theme, the site was crafted as a flawless imitation of a genuine and reliable American think tank.

​Although the institution's research is claimed to be peer-reviewed and academic, it heavily prioritizes government sources, including the Israeli military and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

​According to the report, the Israeli government paid Piro Inc $900,000 for this work. The sub-contract was managed through the French public relations firm 'Havas Media'.