International
Pro-Israel AI bot sparks controversy with rogue pro-Palestinian posts and errors
An AI-powered social media bot, FactFinder AI, intended to promote pro-Israeli narratives about the Gaza conflict, has sparked controversy by going rogue, posting anti-Israeli content, Haaretz reported. The bot has reportedly criticised Israeli efforts, recommended pro-Palestinian resources, and contradicted its original purpose.

An AI-powered social media profile designed to promote Israeli narratives about the war on Gaza has come under scrutiny for posting anti-Israeli content and spreading false information.
The AI bot, known as FactFinder AI, was meant to counter misinformation online but instead generated posts that contradicted its original purpose, Haaretz reported on 29 January.
Among the incidents cited, FactFinder AI denied that an Israeli family had been killed during Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023.
The bot also incorrectly claimed that Israeli hostages who had been released by Hamas were still being held and implied Israeli responsibility for a proposed US ban on TikTok. Additionally, it urged social media users to donate to a Palestinian charity and show solidarity with Palestinians affected by what it called Israel’s “indiscriminate” war on Gaza.
In another controversial post, the bot responded to a pro-Israeli post highlighting the country’s ethnic diversity by referring to Israeli soldiers as “white colonizers in apartheid Israel.” This statement was seen as contradictory to the bot’s intended purpose of supporting Israel’s official positions online.
The Israeli government and non-governmental organisations have heavily relied on AI for promoting pro-Israeli messaging internationally, a practice referred to as hasbara.
According to Haaretz, FactFinder AI claims to be a “neutral voice” providing “AI-driven facts” on X (formerly Twitter), where it has amassed 3,600 followers. Despite its stated goal of neutrality, the bot’s output has raised concerns about its reliability and effectiveness in spreading government-approved messaging.
Investigations by the Israeli NGO FakeReporter, which monitors online disinformation, found that FactFinder AI predominantly posts about the Israel-Gaza conflict and generally promotes a pro-Israel narrative. However, its creators did not anticipate the bot occasionally posting pro-Palestinian content or inaccurate information.
The bot has posted 151,000 replies but made only 15 original posts, indicating that its primary activity is responding to other users.
While most replies align with a pro-Israeli stance, some have been critical of official Israeli positions.
For example, the bot contradicted the Israeli government’s account of events when pro-Israel influencer Oli London posted images of three female hostages before their release by Hamas. FactFinder AI incorrectly claimed that the information was inaccurate, even though the captives were indeed freed shortly afterward.
The bot has also made questionable suggestions regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. It once commented that a two-state solution was “not the future” and proposed the possibility of a “three- or four-state solution,” sparking confusion and criticism online.
Haaretz reported that FactFinder AI follows only one account on X—the platform’s owner, Elon Musk, who is known for his right-wing views. The bot has also urged Germany to recognise a Palestinian state and directed users to follow pro-Palestinian accounts for updates on the conflict.
Although the bot was intended to provide a pro-Israeli perspective on others’ posts, it instead trolled pro-Israel accounts with pro-Palestinian views.
In one case, it called on Germany to follow Ireland and Spain in officially recognising the state of Palestine.
The controversy surrounding FactFinder AI highlights broader concerns about the effectiveness of AI in promoting controlled narratives.
Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry has allocated around $550,000 towards AI-driven hasbara projects since the conflict intensified in October 2023, reflecting the government’s commitment to leveraging technology in its international public relations strategy.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Gaza officials have reported over 60,000 Palestinian deaths since the conflict began, with 14,222 people still believed to be trapped under rubble.
The official death toll, as of 5 February 2025, has reached 61,709, including 17,881 children. Salama Maarouf, head of Gaza’s Government Information Office, stated that only 76 percent of those killed have been identified through medical centres.
Rescue teams continue to recover bodies from the rubble as part of the initial phase of a ceasefire agreement. The death toll is expected to rise further in the coming days.

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