Israel is using AI-generated text messages, conservative media and online influencers in an expanding campaign to stem the collapse in US public support, according to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal.
The effort reaches from millions of Americans having their mobile phones flooded with pro-Israel content, evangelical churches to university campuses, social-media feeds and even the online material used by AI chatbots.
According to the Journal, the Israeli government has retained at least six firms to conduct influence operations in the US, while around three dozen marketing and communications professionals have registered as foreign agents working on its behalf.
The campaign comes amid growing American opposition to Israel following its genocide in Gaza and war with Iran. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in March found that 60 per cent of US adults held an unfavourable view of Israel, compared with 42 per cent in 2022.
The campaign involves millions of AI-assisted text messages sent to American mobile phones. To pass of as a real campaign, senders are said to identify themselves as Emma, Sarah or John and claim to represent an organisation called Friends for Peace. They begin by asking recipients for their views about Israel, Iran or the US-Israel relationship before directing the conversation towards arguments supporting Israel.
