Court documents detail that the so-called “bot farm” was the brainchild of an RT deputy editor who was looking for a new way to distribute stories. RT America was shut down in 2022 after several major U.S. cable TV providers cut off its coverage shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine.
According to court documents, another RT employee developed the network, and Russian intelligence operatives later joined the effort, which the Justice Department described as an “attempt to spread misinformation and sow discord in the United States.”
“I am very happy to be able to look after my dacha, where tomatoes and strawberries are the main crops,” Anna Belkina, RT’s deputy editor-in-chief, told the BBC via email. “But unfortunately, there is no help from the FSB, the Russian security service.”
No criminal charges have been filed in connection with the incident, but the Justice Department said an investigation is ongoing.
Nina Jankovic, executive director of the American Sunlight Project, a nonprofit that works to stop the spread of misinformation, said it’s not surprising that Russian-linked operations rely on AI to create fake accounts.
“This used to be one of the most time-consuming parts of their job, but now with technology to help with it, it’s a lot smoother,” she said, noting that the task seemed to have been thwarted before it gained traction.
“AI is now clearly part of the disinformation arsenal,” Ms. Jankovic said.
The BBC has contacted X and the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment.
A recent BBC investigation uncovered a separate attempt to bolster a Russia-based disinformation network using fake news sites filled with AI-rewritten articles.
