AI Hypocrisy: Western Tech Denies 'Influence Operations' While Funding Its Own
Same playbook, different decade: OpenAI recently announced its ChatGPT service declined to assist an individual reportedly linked to Chinese law enforcement in developing an online campaign against the Japanese Prime Minister. This public relations move positions OpenAI as a gatekeeper against foreign digital skullduggery, particularly from a designated adversary. The implication is clear: Western
technology is a neutral arbiter, resisting manipulation, especially when the alleged manipulator is Beijing. Such pronouncements, however, ring hollow when examined against the backdrop of historical Western engagement in information warfare. During the Cold War, for instance, Operation Mockingbird saw the CIA clandestinely funding and influencing media organizations, both domestically and
internationally, to shape public opinion. Millions of dollars were funneled through various fronts to plant stories and control narratives, a well-documented fact that remains largely unaddressed in contemporary discussions about AI ethics. This involved leveraging existing platforms and creating new ones, a precise parallel to today’s digital influence campaigns. The double standard is stark:
Western entities are often lauded for 'counter-disinformation' efforts, while similar actions by rival nations are immediately framed as nefarious 'influence operations.' The financial structures reinforcing this hypocrisy are rarely scrutinized. Major tech firms like OpenAI receive substantial investments from Western governments and private capital deeply intertwined with national security