$45 million for AI text messages: Inside Israel’s push to shape US opinion

An investigation by The Wall Street Journal and Time magazine revealed that Israel is spending over $45 million to influence U.S. public opinion, particularly among young conservatives and MAGA supporters. This effort involves sending AI-generated text messages from fictitious groups like "Friends for Peace" and paying Brad Parscale, former Trump campaign manager, $1.5 million monthly. Parscale's contract, worth over $45 million, includes "integrating narrative messages into Salem Media assets and aligned distribution channels." The campaign also aims to produce favorable results for Israel in AI chatbots and involves payments to various online influencers and marketing companies. Nick Cleveland-Stout, a foreign influence researcher, noted that Israel is on track to spend more than any other country on American influence efforts known to the federal government. U.S. Vice President JD Vance accused Israel's campaign of trying "to undermine U.S. negotiations to end the conflict in Iran."