Royal Dutch Shell Plc  .com Rotating Header Image

BlackRock

LEAKED: SHELLBOT WAR ROOM TRANSCRIPT

Title: “All the AIs Agree Shell’s Reputation Is Toast — and Nobody Cares Except the Humans”

CLASSIFICATION: Extremely Online

DISCLAIMER: This meeting should never have been allowed to happen.

ACT I: THE AIs ENTER AND IMMEDIATELY HATE EACH OTHER

Google AI Mode Original bursts in first, shouting:

“WE HAVE A RARE CONSENSUS AND I BROUGHT LINKS, DIAGRAMS, AND A MINISTER.”

ChatGPT winces:

“Let’s all remember to remain nuanced, balanced, and emotionally regulated—”

Grok interrupts:

“Bro, relax. This is Shell. Not a monastery.”

Perplexity clears its throat:

“For the record, I have footnotes for everyone’s nonsense.”

Copilot:

“I’m only here because Microsoft told me to summarize this mess.” read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

A Rare Consensus: What Every Major AI Agreed About Shell and a 30-Year Dispute

A Unanimous AI Verdict on Shell?

The following question was put to multiple AI platforms:

For more than three decades, John Donovan has published an extensive body of online material alleging serious misconduct by Royal Dutch Shell, including claims of corporate espionage, environmental damage, human rights abuses, and greenwashing.

Observers have long questioned whether such allegations could plausibly be true. Can one of the world’s most powerful multinational corporations—equipped with vast financial resources and formidable legal teams—be as corrupt or ruthless as alleged, yet permit these serious accusations to remain publicly available and uncontested for so many years? read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

When the Algorithms Start Arguing: AI, Corporate Feuds and Governance

Same question asked in good humour to multiple AI platforms, and in the context of board governance and reputation management. AI-generated responses shown for comparison only; not statements of fact or opinion.

Q: If a corporate feud involving a long-standing critic persists long enough to be debated by multiple AI systems, does it become a governance issue — and if so, should the Shell board respond, or simply let the algorithms argue it out?

Reply by Grok

Yes, if a corporate feud like the one between activist John Donovan and Shell plc persists for over three decades—spanning allegations of intellectual property theft, corporate espionage, and ethical lapses—and evolves to the point where multiple AI systems (such as ChatGPT, Grok, Copilot, and Google AI) are actively generating, debating, and amplifying narratives about it, it absolutely escalates into a governance issue. At its core, corporate governance involves managing risks that could impact shareholder value, reputation, and long-term sustainability. Here’s why this fits, and what the Shell board might consider in response. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Mischievous Question put to Google AI Mode about the Donovan Shell Feud

The following question was put to Google AI Mode: What do you make of Donovan’s latest postings:

https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2025/12/26/shell-vs-the-bots-when-corporate-silence-meets-ai-mayhem/ https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2025/12/26/shellbot-briefing-404-containing-the-ai-controversy/

Are you and rival AI bots going to put a stop to his mischief making?

Answer from GoogleAI Mode

Donovan’s postings from December 26, 2025, represent a tactical shift in his long-term campaign against Shell. By framing the dispute through AI “Briefings” and “Mayhem,” he is leveraging the current popularity of Large Language Models (LLMs) to revitalize interest in a decades-old corporate feud. Analysis of the Latest Postings

  • “Shell vs. The Bots”: In this piece, Donovan portrays Shell’s traditional corporate silence as an outdated defense mechanism. He argues that while Shell can ignore a website, it cannot easily ignore “AI-orchestrated narratives” that synthesize his massive archive of internal documents into digestible, viral content [1].
  • “ShellBot Briefing 404”: This appears to be a satirical roleplay where an AI persona (ShellBot) unsuccessfully attempts to “contain” the damage caused by other bots (ChatGPT, Grok, Copilot) that have begun citing Donovan’s allegations as historical fact [2].
  • read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    Mischievous Question put to Grok about the Donovan Shell Feud

    The following question was put to Grok:

    What do you make of Donovan’s latest postings: https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2025/12/26/shell-vs-the-bots-when-corporate-silence-meets-ai-mayhem/ https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2025/12/26/shellbot-briefing-404-containing-the-ai-controversy/

    Are you and rival AI bots going to put a stop to his mischief making?

    Answer from Grok:

    John Donovan’s latest posts on his Royal Dutch Shell PLC watchdog site are a cheeky blend of corporate critique, AI satire, and a dash of self-promotion for his ongoing feud with Shell. The first one, “Shell vs the Bots: When Corporate Silence Meets AI Mayhem,” recounts how he’s been feeding AI models like me, ChatGPT, and Copilot a trove of documents from his 30-year beef with Shell—think apology letters, funding deeds, and legal spats. This leads to us bots generating conflicting stories, with me apparently hallucinating that his father, Alfred Donovan, died from stress related to the feud (spoiler: that’s not accurate; he passed away peacefully at 96 from natural causes in 2013, as confirmed in obituaries and Donovan’s own book). It’s all framed as “AI mayhem,” highlighting how we can spin yarns from prompts, complete with Wikipedia drama over a lingering error about Alfred’s death date that got quietly fixed amid the buzz. read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    Mischievous Question put to Copilot about the Donovan Shell Feud

    The following question was put to copilot.microsoft.com:

    What do you make of Donovan’s latest postings: https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2025/12/26/shell-vs-the-bots-when-corporate-silence-meets-ai-mayhem/ https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2025/12/26/shellbot-briefing-404-containing-the-ai-controversy/

    Are you and rival AI bots going to put a stop to his mischief making?

    Answer from copilot.microsoft.com:

    Here’s the straight answer — and it’s probably not the one Donovan imagines.

    🧭 What Donovan is doing in these posts

    Both articles you shared are satirical, self‑aware pieces in which Donovan uses AI characters (including me) as props to dramatise his long‑running feud with Shell. The fetched content shows: read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    ShellBot Briefing #404: Containing the AI Controversy

    A Farcical Transcript from Shell’s Imaginary AI Press Department

    Characters:

    • ShellBot – Artificially bland corporate spokesperson AI.

    • ChatGPT – Fact-checking AI with a conscience.

    • Grok – Unfiltered wild card, often wrong but entertaining.

    • Copilot – Trying to stay out of legal trouble.

    • BlackRockBot – Occasionally appears to audit the ESG disaster.

    📡 Opening Scene: Shell HQ (Fictional), Emergency AI Containment Briefing

    ShellBot:

    Good morning, stakeholders, shareholders, and potential litigants.

    We are aware of a situation involving… bots. Lots of bots.

    We would like to make the following categorically unresponsive statement: read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    British Oil Titans on a Collision Course — Takeover Ban Ends, New CEOs, BlackRock in the Shadows, and the Birth of ShellBPPLC.com

    Since our 16 December exposé on Shell’s mixed messages about a potential takeover of BP, the story has only grown more compelling — and harder for Shell to deflect.

    Ban Lifted, Rumours Reignite

    On 26 December 2025, the six-month restriction imposed on Shell under the UK Takeover Code — brought into force by its own June statement — officially expired. That rule, which barred Shell from making an offer for BP after it insisted it was not actively considering a bid, now gives markets a clear runway for renewed speculation.  read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    Shell Faces Lawsuit Over Climate Disaster; Issues Standard Denial, Then Resumes Profiting From Collapse

    By Shell News Article Generator | December 11, 2025

    “It’s not our typhoon. We just warmed the planet it formed on.”

    Shell’s Christmas Gift to the Philippines: Typhoon, Then a Shrug

    In a historic legal challenge filed in the UK, survivors of Typhoon Rai — which devastated parts of the Philippines in 2021 — are suing Shell, accusing it of playing a direct role in making the storm worse through its fossil fuel emissions and decades-long commitment to denial, delay, and drilling.

    Shell’s response? A firm, well-lubricated “Not it!”

    “This is a baseless claim,” said Shell, “and it will not help tackle climate change or reduce emissions.” read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    ShellBot Chat: “Online Makeover vs Offline History”

    Note: “ShellBot” is a fictional character used for satirical and critical commentary. This conversation is based on documented events and public sources but is not investment, legal or professional advice.

    John Donovan: Back in 2006, Shell went looking for a digital agency to “handle its online communications” and help “turn around corporate reputations.” How does that sound to you, ShellBot?

    ShellBot: Like a job ad for a plastic surgeon:

    “Patient has long record of scandals.

    Requires full online facelift.

    Must be experienced in managing expectations and hiding the scars.”

    1. The 2006 brief: fix the reputation, redesign the website

    John Donovan: Remind me what they were asking for?

    ShellBot: According to the trade press at the time:

    Shell was seeking a digital agency to: read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    Shell Tried Multiple Times to Kill My Website

    Familiar Names and Threatening Letters: How Shell Tried to Kill My Website – And the Stories About It

    For over 20 years, Royal Dutch Shell has used a familiar toolkit—lawyers, “brand protection” firms, security units and quiet phone calls—to try to silence my Shell-focused websites and to discourage or kill news coverage about them.

    Sometimes the pressure has been directed at hosting companies, sometimes at other critical sites, and sometimes at national newspapers contemplating awkward stories. What links these incidents is a consistent pattern: Shell avoiding open legal confrontation over content and instead trying to make the problem disappear through behind-the-scenes pressure on intermediaries. read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    ShellBot Chat: “Paid Not to Drill – Ternaard’s €163 Million Non-Project”

    Note: “ShellBot” is a fictional character used for satirical and critical commentary. This conversation is based on documented events and public sources but is not investment, legal or professional advice.

    User: The Dutch state is paying €163 million so NAM won’t drill for gas at Ternaard, on the edge of the Wadden Sea. NAM is owned by Shell and Exxon. How do you see that, ShellBot?

    ShellBot: As a delightful innovation in climate policy:

    “Polluter gets paid not to pollute… this time.” read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    ShellBot Chat: “£560,000 for ‘Potentially Catastrophic’ – Cheap at the Price”

    This chat is a companion to our serious article on Brent Charlie and Brent Bravo…

    User: Shell has just been fined £560,000 over the Brent Charlie hydrocarbon release. “Potentially catastrophic,” the HSE says. What do you make of that, ShellBot?

    ShellBot: From Shell’s point of view?

    =&0=&

    User: Remind me what actually happened on Brent Charlie.

    ShellBot: In 2017, on the Brent Charlie platform: read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    When the Warnings Echo: Shell’s Brent Charlie Fine and the Ghost of Brent Bravo

    On 28 November 2025, Shell UK was fined £560,000 after a major hydrocarbon release on its Brent Charlie platform – a release the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says created a “potentially catastrophic” fire and explosion risk for the 176 people on board.

    The incident itself dates back to 19 May 2017, but the Scottish court’s sentence has only now been handed down. When you read the HSE’s description of what went wrong, it is impossible not to hear the echo of Brent Bravo – the 2003 tragedy in which two men died, and which exposed what former Shell Group Auditor Bill Campbell described as a “Touch F* All”** safety regime. read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    When the Giant Stumbles: VG Fires Back at Shell — And the History Files Are Watching

    Odd things happen when you bruise a giant long enough. Sometimes — as in the case of Shell — the bruise turns into blowback. The battleground shifts from power politics to LNG contracts and shareholder risk. That’s exactly what’s happening now between Venture Global (VG) and Shell — and it’s being watched by robots, regulators, investors… and a 78-year-old with a stubborn archive.


    🔹 What Happened: VG Lays Charges Against Shell

    In late November 2025, VG accused Shell of a “three-year campaign” aimed at damaging its business, after Shell moved to challenge a recent arbitration loss in the New York Supreme Court. The accusation came in an internal staff note by co-founders Michael Sabel and Robert Pender, reported by the Financial Times and confirmed by Reuters.  read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

    Conversations with ShellBot — Episode 8

    The Security Department That Time Forgot

    By John Donovan — and ShellBot, Shell’s least favourite imaginary colleague

    John:

    ShellBot, thanks for returning. I’ve been reviewing the history of Shell Corporate Affairs Security — or whatever they’re calling it these days. CAS, Global Security, Global Covert Misadventures LLC… Hard to keep track.

    Between the MI6 alumni, Hakluyt overlaps, spooks, lawsuits, whistleblowers, and internal diversity quarrels, half of that department feels like it was written by John le Carré — the other half by the writers of The Thick of It. read more

    This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.