Yale Suspends Scholar Helyeh Doutaghi Over AI-Generated Allegations

Helyeh Doutaghi, a deputy director at Yale Law School's Law and Political Economy project, has been suspended following accusations from an AI-powered website, Jewish Onliner, that she has ties to a terrorist group. Doutaghi asserts that her suspension is retaliatory, stemming from her pro-Palestinian advocacy and criticism of Israeli policies, and argues that the university's actions violate her rights to free speech and academic freedom. She claims that the administration conducted a hasty investigation based on unfounded allegations without affording her due process, leading to online harassment and threats against her. Doutaghi's lawyer confirmed that the university's actions were triggered by the article linking her to a sanctioned organization. She has also raised concerns about the impartiality of the attorney chosen by Yale for her case, questioning whether he can be fair given his ties to pro-Israel advocacy. The situation highlights broader issues regarding the use of AI in academic and public discourse, particularly against critics of Israel.