ICMYI: May Roundup
Open Measures' new AI-powered Research Assistant, pro-Republican gerrymandering among conspiracy theorists, and an in-depth report on AI threats in 2026
Hello again from the Open Measures team. We’ve had a busy May!
Last month, we debuted our platform’s new Research Assistant tool and published an in-depth white paper on new and developing threats related to AI “jailbreaking.”
You also may have spotted our researcher team in news reports, appearing quoted in The Washington Post, USA Today, KPBS, IT Brew, Raw America, and more.
Hantavirus Conspiracy Theories Spread by MAGA Influencers Appeared Earlier On Alternative Platforms
Shortly after the initial alerts about a possible hantavirus outbreak in early May, social media users on an array of alternative social platforms spread baseless conspiracy theories that health officials might leverage the virus to disrupt 2026 US midterm elections – and three days later, high-profile conservative social media personalities amplified them on various mainstream platforms.
Hantavirus Conspiracy Theories Spread by MAGA Influencers Appeared Earlier On Alternative Platforms
New Product: Research Assistant
We were excited to release Research Assistant, an AI-powered workflow for processing large datasets, identifying key patterns, and generating actionable reports – all in one window. With this new interface, researchers can navigate our datasets seamlessly, transparently, and without sacrificing accuracy or human judgment. Building on existing workflows, Research Assistant helps researchers move from topic or question to finished report in minutes or hours rather than weeks.
Pro-Trump Communities Spent Years Claiming Elections Were ‘Rigged.’ Now They Support Gerrymandering.
Over the last year, President Donald Trump has pressured Republican state lawmakers to voluntarily redraw their maps in order to help Republicans defend their narrow majority in the US House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Republican politicians and their social media influencer supporters have attempted to drum up support for partisan gerrymandering efforts online – in communities that historically claimed US elections were being rigged against Trump and his political allies.
The 2026 AI Threat Landscape Report
The rise of AI has created a new frontier of cyberthreats for organizations and individuals. Many threats are becoming increasingly common, accessible, and sophisticated, with new exploits being developed in organized online forums daily. In our white paper, we did a year-long analysis of the platforms, communities, and tools driving these threats in 2026, offering strategies on how to defend against them before they affect your organization.
