Africa-Press – Tanzania. Anthropic, an American artificial intelligence company, revealed an operation linked to the United Arab Emirates that specifically targeted United Nations experts criticizing Abu Dhabi for its alleged role in the ongoing war in Sudan. In a report detailing how it halted illicit operations originating from several countries, Anthropic specifically mentioned a large-scale operation that it attributed, “with a high degree of certainty,” to the UAE government.
The campaign, which focused on the Muslim Brotherhood, utilized its AI model “Claude” to generate documents and content for publication on social media platforms, as well as to prepare testimonies regarding Sudan.
The war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has claimed more than 200,000 lives since it erupted in April 2023, according to estimates from humanitarian organizations. It has also displaced over 12 million people both within and outside the country, leading to widespread famine in several areas, which the United Nations described as the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis. Khartoum accuses Abu Dhabi of supporting the Rapid Support Forces, allegations that the UAE has repeatedly denied.
Conversely, reports indicate that the Sudanese army has received support from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other parties, while the Rapid Support Forces accuse the army of close coordination with the Muslim Brotherhood, a claim the army denies. According to Anthropic, the operation centered around a fictional character named “Deadshot,” who called for a “coordinated regional and transatlantic operation to dismantle the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide.”
Another initiative, according to Anthropic, involved impersonating a Sudanese NGO and crafting statements for two individuals to “deliver elements supporting the interests of one party in the conflict to the UN, as if they were issued by independent local witnesses rather than government parties.” The American company also mentioned preparing files aimed at undermining the position of UN rapporteurs who criticized Abu Dhabi’s role in Sudan.
The operation utilized around 300 fake accounts on social media networks, according to Anthropic, which could not determine whether the testimonies or files achieved their goals or influenced political decisions.
In general, the company announced that it has halted surveillance operations targeting opponents and ethnic minorities, particularly in China, Iran, and West Africa, alongside attempts to design weapons, as in Yemen, or carry out large-scale fraud. A spokesperson for the European Commission, Thomas Renier, told reporters on Friday: “It is time for these technology providers to get their house in order and ensure that their advanced models remain under control.”
