OpenAI's super PAC is funding AI-generated news site attacking industry critics
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OpenAI's super PAC funds an AI-generated news site attacking industry critics.
An investigation reveals Acutus, an anonymous news site launched Dec 29, 2025, publishes nearly all AI-generated content. A PAC funded by OpenAI appears to be its backer. The site's code exposes an editorial interface with AI background context and story generation buttons. Reporter "Michael Chen" is an AI agent sending written Q&A requests. Many articles quote scraped sources, but some real people (like Harvard professor Joseph Fuller) unknowingly responded to the bot. Republican PR consultant Patrick Hynes, whose firm represents clients like PhRMA, is linked to Acutus and appears as a quoted source without disclosure. The site publishes advocacy pieces favoring pharmaceutical, crypto, and real estate interests, and targets AI safety advocates.
What commenters are saying
Commenters question whether this constitutes fraud, noting state laws in California, New York, and New Hampshire as potential grounds for action. A split emerges: some see it as standard tech marketing, while others argue it's astroturfing that undermines trust. Several users observe that Hacker News itself has shifted from JavaScript framework posts to AI hype, with some suspecting coordinated promotion. A correction clarifies that the quoted source, Patrick Hynes, appeared without disclosure of his relationship to the publication.