Open-source artificial intelligence models enabled the automation of social media operations, from account registration to content distribution. These campaigns used tools including DeepSeek to create networks of fake accounts on X, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram to sway public opinion on politics. An Iranian operation gained 80,000 followers in H1 2026 by posing as Americans and spreading anti-Republican memes, while the Israeli firm IntelEye managed thousands of accounts posting opposing views on Benjamin Netanyahu before October elections.

Sun Yat-sen University launched Huanyu Zhiying 1.0 in April 2026 to help the Chinese government tailor foreign propaganda. The system utilizes more than 10,000 simulated user profiles across 18 countries, incorporating survey data from nations including Australia and the United States to model how foreign audiences respond to specific messages. IntelEye maintains its use of AI agents was for the purpose of defensive research.