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OpenAI Disrupts "No Bell" Influence Operation Originating in Russia

OpenAI banned accounts linked to "No Bell," a Russia-origin operation that used AI to generate criticism of the United States and its allies for audiences across Africa, as detailed in a February 2026 report.

By Illumora Editorial

Source · Sep 16, 2026, 3:44 PM · On Illumora · Sep 16, 2026, 3:49 PM

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Read the source →OpenAI Safety — Operation “No Bell”: Coordinated criticism of the US and allies
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OpenAI has taken action against an influence operation it named "No Bell," which originated in Russia and utilized AI to produce content critical of the United States and its allies. This operation focused on audiences across Africa. The details of this disruption were first published in OpenAI's February 2026 report on malicious AI uses.

The operation involved a ChatGPT account that generated long-form articles and social media content concerning geopolitics in Africa. OpenAI initiated an investigation into this activity after receiving a lead from Meta.

Key Points

  • OpenAI banned accounts associated with the "No Bell" operation, which originated in Russia.
  • The operation used ChatGPT to generate geopolitical content critical of the US and its allies for African audiences.
  • Content included long-form articles and social media posts, primarily in English, with some Russian-language instructions from a manager.
  • Some generated content was posted on Facebook Pages posing as news outlets in African countries, which Meta subsequently banned.
  • The operation created a fictitious author, "Dr Manuel Godsin," whose byline appeared on 53 articles online.
  • The user experimented with other LLMs, asking ChatGPT for image prompts for Gemini and to modify Gemini-generated images.
  • The content praised Russia and criticized Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States, alongside localized issues.

Context

According to OpenAI, the ChatGPT account's primary activity involved creating social media posts and commentary articles about sub-Saharan African geopolitics. The user occasionally provided Russian-language instructions, attributing them to a manager who offered detailed feedback and editing suggestions for the articles. Some of this content was published on Facebook Pages that impersonated news outlets in countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Angola. Meta banned these pages, some of which showed admin locations in Russia and Ukraine through transparency settings.

Why It Matters

This case highlights the use of AI models like ChatGPT in sophisticated influence operations, demonstrating how AI can be leveraged to create and disseminate deceptive content at scale. The operation's use of a fabricated persona and attempts to conceal AI generation indicate an evolving challenge for platforms and users in distinguishing authentic information from AI-generated disinformation.

What To Do

  • Note the details of the "No Bell" operation as an example of AI misuse in geopolitical influence.
  • Watch for future reports from OpenAI and other platforms on malicious AI uses.
  • Review the techniques used to mask AI-generated content, such as removing em-dashes or requesting a "human journalist" style.
  • Consider the implications of AI-generated personas like "Dr Manuel Godsin" in online information environments.

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