Operation “Nine–emdash Line”: Regional influence activity
OpenAI disrupts PRC-backed influence operation using AI for geopolitical disinformation—first named campaign of its kind.
Why it matters
AI-enabled disinformation and state-sponsored influence operations are now a measurable threat to practitioners and policymakers. This is the first publicly named, cross-platform influence campaign weaponizing LLMs at scale—a societal/security moment that changes how organizations think about content moderation, abuse detection, and geopolitical risk.
The key facts
11 to knowOperation dubbed 'Nine-emdash Line'
PRC-origin disinformation campaign
Used AI to generate regional influence content
Targeted topics: South China Sea, Hong Kong, US politics
OpenAI banned associated accounts
First publicly named AI-enabled state-sponsored influence operation
PRC-origin operation named 'Nine-emdash Line' banned by OpenAI
Operation used AI to create influence content on South China Sea, Hong Kong, US politics
First documented case of state-backed malicious AI use at scale
Represents emerging threat category: AI-enabled disinformation and influence warfare
Policy/regulatory pressure: AI platforms now front-line defense against state actors
Go to the source
OpenAI Blogopenai.com
Publisher excerpt: OpenAI banned accounts linked to a previously unreprorted PRC-origin operation we dubbed "Nine-emdash Line", using AI to create regional influence content about the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and US politics.