'Everyone Is a Robot There', Criminals Use ChatGPT, Gemini and Starlink to Run Pig Butchering Scams in Just Days

Criminal groups based in compounds along Myanmar's border with Thailand are using ChatGPT, Google's Gemini and Starlink satellite internet to push victims into transferring cryptocurrency in as little as four days, according to reporting from the Associated Press.

Former workers say artificial intelligence now handles or speeds up much of the process, generating messages, translating conversations and allowing operators to juggle multiple targets at once.

Inside the compounds, staff are reportedly instructed to build trust and emotional attachment rapidly, with conversations steered towards romantic or financial commitments within four days of first contact. Investigators say victims are then directed to fake cryptocurrency platforms that mimic legitimate trading sites, where deposits can be diverted through wallets controlled by the criminal networks.

'Everyone Is a Robot There'

Safeer Mohammed Koorimannil, a former worker who says he was trafficked into one of the scam compounds before escaping, described an environment where machine assistance had become central to daily operations.

'Everyone is a robot there,' he said. Inside the compounds, workers routinely relied on ChatGPT and Gemini to write persuasive messages, respond to questions and maintain long‑running conversations with potential targets.

They used translation software known as KT Auto to operate in more than 100 languages. Another tool, referred to as 007TG, suggested replies and helped workers manage several chats at the same time.

Former workers said they were instructed to build trust and emotional attachment with targets quickly, with the goal of moving conversations toward romantic or financial commitment within four days. The timeframe, they said, was enforced as a performance target inside the compounds, shaping how operators structured conversations from first contact onward.

They said the system was built for speed, with victims typically pushed toward transferring funds within four days of initial contact.

Starlink Keeps Compounds Online

Investigators also documented the use of Starlink satellite terminals inside scam compounds near the Myanmar–Thailand border. Former workers said the terminals provided stable connectivity even when local infrastructure was disrupted, allowing operations to continue around the clock.

Victims were directed toward fake cryptocurrency investment platforms designed to mimic legitimate trading services. Once deposits were made, funds were moved through wallets controlled by the criminal groups, making recovery difficult.

AI Speeds Up Pig Butchering Scams

The use of generative AI has changed how these operations function at a basic level.

Instead of writing messages manually, workers now rely on chatbots to produce fluent, tailored responses. Translation tools remove language barriers that once slowed outreach. Recommendation systems help keep dozens of conversations active simultaneously.

Former workers said this reduced the training required for new recruits and increased the number of victims each operator could manage at once. The result is a faster cycle: initial contact, trust‑building and financial transfer compressed into days rather than weeks.

How Tech Firms Say They Respond

OpenAI has previously said it investigates misuse of its systems and removes accounts that violate policy. Google has said fraudulent use of Gemini breaches its rules and that it takes enforcement action when violations are identified.

SpaceX, which operates Starlink, has said its service is intended for lawful use and that it works with governments to restrict access where required. The compounds still rely on human operators, but AI tools now handle much of the messaging, translation and coordination.

FBI Director Kash Patel said scam compounds are 'modern-day criminal enterprises built to steal from Americans, launder money, and exploit trafficked workers', adding that recent operations targeting networks in Cambodia and Dubai have disrupted more than $8 billion in fraud, led to the rescue of nearly 2,000 trafficked workers and resulted in roughly 300 arrests.