Ex-Trump adviser hired to oversee pro-Israel social media campaign

Israel launched a multimillion-dollar effort, led by a former senior aide to US President Donald Trump, to influence how artificial intelligence (AI) systems portray the country, Axios reported on Saturday.

In September, Israel hired Republican digital strategist Brad Parscale, who managed Trump's 2020 campaign, to run a pro-Israel online outreach initiative.

Part of his focus was AI platforms, which he believed were relying heavily on critical or negative information about Israel, according to the report.

To counter that, Parscale's team started working on a project aimed at "getting AI systems to portray Israel in a more favorable light," the report noted.

While the report said Parscale's team claimed progress, it noted that it was uncertain exactly how much their tactics were influencing AI outputs so far.

Meanwhile, public opinion in the US has shifted in a negative direction. A recent Pew Research survey found that 60% of Americans now view Israel unfavorably, up from 53% the previous year.

Israel has paid Parscale's firm $9 million and has recently renewed the contract, according to Axios.

Beyond AI-focused efforts, the campaign also includes text messaging outreach and digital advertising aimed at improving Israel's image, it added.