Israel wants to train ChatGPT to be more pro-Israel

The government of Israel has hired a new conservative-aligned firm, Clock Tower X LLC, to create media for Gen Z audiences in a contract worth $6 million. At least 80 percent of content Clock Tower produces will be “tailored to Gen Z audiences across platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, and other relevant digital and broadcast outlets” with a minimum goal of 50 million impressions per month.

Clock Tower will even deploy “websites and content to deliver GPT framing results on GPT conversations.” In other words, Clock Tower will create new websites to influence how AI GPT models such as ChatGPT, which are trained on vast amounts of data from every corner of the internet, frame topics and respond to them — all on behalf of Israel.

As part of this work, the firm will also use search engine optimization software MarketBrew AI, a predictive AI platform that helps clients adapt to algorithms and promote their work on search engines like Google and Bing, to “improve the visibility and ranking of relevant narratives.”

Clock Tower will integrate its pro-Israel messaging into Salem Media Network properties, a conservative Christian media group that boasts a vast radio network and produces high-profile shows such as the Hugh Hewitt Show, the Larry Elder Show, and the Right View with Lara Trump. In April, the conservative media network announced Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump as significant stakeholders in the company. Salem Media Network did not respond to a question clarifying whether it would be compensated by Clock Tower for promoting messages on behalf of Israel, or how these messages would be integrated.

Former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, the adviser who hired the controversial microtargeting firm Cambridge Analytica during Trump’s 2016 campaign, is at the center of the Israeli government’s new deal. Clock Tower is led by Parscale — who is also the new chief strategy officer for the Salem Media Group.

In its contract, Clock Tower does not reveal much about what kinds of messaging will be promoted on behalf of Israel. According to its filing under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Clock Tower was hired to help “execute a nationwide campaign in the United States to combat antisemitism.”

The firm’s point-person is Eran Shayovich, the chief of staff at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to Shayovich’s Linkedin profile, he is leading a campaign called “project 545” which aims to “amplify Israel’s strategic communication and public diplomacy efforts.”

Clock Tower’s work will be targeting a sector of the American populace that has broken sharply from its support for Israel. A July Gallup poll found that only 9% of Americans aged 18-34 support Israel’s military action in Gaza. Other polls show Israel’s favorability falling more generally among the American public.

Clock Tower will also complete an “initial cultural, demographic, and sentiment research report” for Israel within 30 days. Another American firm, Stagwell Global, recently conducted a similar survey for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While the findings were far more favorable to Israel than other surveys, the poll, which was leaked to Drop Site, still found that a 47% of Americans believed that Israel is committing genocide.

In a meeting with pro-Israel influencers on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that social media is the most important weapon Israel has at its disposal. “We’re going to have to use the tools of battle, the weapons change over time,” he said. “You can’t fight today with swords, that doesn’t work very well…the most important ones are the social media.”

Netanyahu even touted the purchase of Tik Tok as a group of investors are making a play to buy the company. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who is the single biggest private donor to the Israeli Defense Forces, is poised to play a large role in the deal. “I hope it goes through, it could be consequential,” said Netanyahu.

Clock Tower is conducting the work for Havas Media Network, an international media company that is working for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Israeli Government Advertising Agency. Clock Tower is not the only American firm Havas has subcontracted as part of its work. Earlier this month, Sludge reported that Havas had hired Democratic-aligned public relations firm SKDKnickerbocker on a $600,000 contract to run a bot farm promoting pro-Israel narratives on social media.

SKDK’s work ended just as Clock Tower’s is beginning. Clock Tower drafted a contract on August 27, two days before SKDK deregistered its work for Israel. In a statement to Politico, a spokesperson for SKDK declined to explain why the firm ended its work for Israel, simply stating that the work “had run its course.”

SKDK, Havas, and an associate of Clock Tower did not respond to requests for comment on this article.