Israel Launches $50 Million Campaign to Sway U.S. Public Opinion Using AI Text Messages

The Israeli government is reportedly conducting a massive $50 million (approximately 75 billion won) public relations campaign to reverse deteriorating public opinion in the United States regarding the wars in Gaza and with Iran.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on July 18 (local time) that the Israeli government is utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) text messages, conservative media, and influencers to change the perceptions of American citizens.

According to the report, the Israeli government has signed a contract worth over $45 million (approximately 67 billion won) with Brad Parscale, a close associate of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Parscale is the individual who oversaw digital strategy for President Trump’s presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020.

The core of this campaign is the use of AI-powered text messages.

Recently, millions of Americans received text messages from a group called "Friends for Peace," asking for their opinions on Israel and Middle Eastern issues.

When a recipient replies, a conversational AI—not a real person—continues the dialogue to deliver pro-Israel messages and collect public opinion data.

The WSJ reported that this group appears to have no actual legal existence.

SparkFire, the AI campaign firm responsible for sending these messages, had received $6.5 million (approximately 9.7 billion won) for its services by mid-May.

In addition, Israel has spent over $500,000 on advertisements through Salem Media, a major U.S. conservative media group where Parscale serves as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), to promote pro-Israel messaging.

The strategy also includes targeting the U.S. left-wing by utilizing influencers and creating websites containing pro-Israel content, aimed at encouraging generative AI models like ChatGPT and Claude to cite favorable information when answering related questions.

For instance, contracted influencers actively participate in debates surrounding Israel and the war on Instagram, or deliver messages such as "Israel is the safest place for LGBTQ+ people in the Middle East" in videos documenting their visits to the country.

These moves follow a decline in U.S. public opinion toward Israel in the wake of the Gaza war and the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in March found that 60 percent of U.S. adults held a negative view of Israel.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance recently appeared on a conservative podcast and criticized some Israeli officials for attempting to manipulate U.S. public opinion to hinder negotiations between the United States and Iran.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.