Israel-Backed 'Hanover Institute' Accused of Creating Fake Research to Influence AI Chatbots on Israel-Palestine Narratives
An investigation by The Guardian reveals that a purported U.S. research institute, the 'Hanover Institute for Public Policy,' with no apparent legal existence or physical address, published over 560,000 words in nine days as part of an Israel-backed effort to influence AI systems like ChatGPT. Between August 6 and 14, the institute released 124 reports, averaging 4,500 words each, addressing contentious allegations against Israel, including accusations of torture, war crimes, genocide, and deliberate starvation of Palestinians in Gaza. These reports are presented as neutral, quasi-academic research, heavily citing institutions like the World Bank and UN agencies, but consistently frame evidence to blunt criticism of Israel. The site was registered with the U.S. Justice Department under FARA by New York media production company Piro Inc. as material distributed on behalf of the Israeli government. The operation appears to be a new frontier in public diplomacy, producing online material specifically designed... 
