News/Deepfakes
“Adapt to AI or lose”: GOP uses deepfake video of Chuck Schumer in new attack ad
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has released an attack ad featuring a deepfake video of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, marking a new escalation in the use of AI-generated content for political campaigns. The synthetic video shows an artificial version of Schumer robotically repeating "every day gets better for us" in reference to the ongoing government shutdown, despite the quote being from a real interview where Schumer was discussing Democratic strategy. What you should know: The deepfake represents the GOP's latest venture into AI-generated political content, following similar moves by Donald Trump. The video was posted to the Senate Republicans'...
read Oct 17, 2025Line in the sand: “Dune” actress calls for AI body scan protections amid digital likeness fears
Olivia Williams is calling for "nudity rider"-type protections for AI body scans, arguing that actors need the same level of control over their digital likenesses as they have over intimate scenes. The Dune: Prophecy star says performers are regularly pressured into body scans on set with minimal guarantees about how the data will be used, potentially allowing studios to train AI models on their physical appearances and eventually replace human actors. What you should know: Williams and other actors report being "ambushed" into body scans during filming, with contracts containing vague clauses that grant studios sweeping rights over performers' likenesses....
read Oct 17, 2025Microsoft report: Russia, China ramp up AI-powered cyberattacks on US
Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have dramatically escalated their use of artificial intelligence to conduct cyberattacks and spread disinformation targeting the United States, according to Microsoft's latest digital threats report. The tech giant identified more than 200 instances in July 2025 of foreign adversaries using AI to create or amplify fake content online—a figure that has doubled since 2024 and increased tenfold since 2023, marking a pivotal shift in how America's rivals are weaponizing cutting-edge technology against U.S. interests. What you should know: AI has fundamentally transformed how state-backed hackers and influence operations target the United States, enabling unprecedented...
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Don’t come after the king: OpenAI restricts Sora after MLK deepfake videos spark backlash
OpenAI has temporarily suspended its AI video generator Sora from creating deepfake videos of Martin Luther King Jr., following a request from the civil rights leader's estate. The move comes after "disrespectful" content depicting Dr. King was generated and shared widely online, including altered versions of his famous "I Have a Dream" speech and fabricated scenarios showing him in offensive situations. What happened: OpenAI paused the ability to create AI videos of Dr. King while it works to strengthen guardrails for historical figures, though users can still generate content featuring other deceased celebrities and public figures.• The decision followed complaints...
read Oct 14, 2025Be sloppy on purpose? The “Giving NPC Effect” makes too-good, authentic content seem artificial
AI-generated content has become so sophisticated that it's training our brains to be hyper-skeptical of everything we see online, creating a new psychological phenomenon called the "Giving NPC Effect." This cognitive shift causes people to perceive even authentic human content as artificially generated when it appears too polished or perfect, fundamentally altering how we distinguish between real and fake digital media. The big picture: Our deepfake detectors have become so sensitive that they're now misfiring on real content, identifying actual humans as non-player characters (NPCs) when their presentation seems too flawless or "post-perfect." What you should know: The "post-perfect" aesthetic...
read Oct 13, 2025AI deepfake scammers target Oprah to sell $300 fake weight loss pills
Scammers are using AI deepfake technology to create fake endorsement videos featuring Oprah Winfrey promoting weight loss supplements, tricking consumers into purchasing fraudulent products. The sophisticated scam highlights the growing threat of AI-generated content being weaponized for financial fraud, as victims struggle to distinguish between authentic celebrity endorsements and AI-manufactured deceptions. What happened: A consumer named Suzanne Spangler fell victim to a deepfake scam after seeing what appeared to be Oprah Winfrey endorsing a pink salt weight loss supplement. The fake video claimed the product mimics the effects of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Mounjaro for a fraction of the...
read Oct 13, 2025Oi! UK performers union plans mass data requests to expose AI training theft
Equity, the UK's performing arts union, has threatened mass direct action against tech and entertainment companies using its members' images, voices, and likenesses in AI content without permission. The union represents 50,000 performers and plans to coordinate large-scale data access requests to force companies to disclose whether they've used members' personal data in AI-generated material without consent. What you should know: Equity is escalating its fight against unauthorized AI use by leveraging data protection laws to create pressure on tech companies. The union plans to help members submit subject access requests en masse, which legally require companies to respond within...
read Oct 7, 2025Stephen Hawking gets Tony Hawked as Sora 2 creates AI videos of dead celebrities
OpenAI's Sora 2 video generator allows users to create AI-generated videos featuring deceased celebrities, despite the company's stated policy of blocking depictions of public figures. The policy only applies to living individuals, creating a significant loophole that has led to widespread creation of posthumous celebrity content across social media platforms. What you should know: OpenAI's "public figures" protection explicitly excludes "historical figures," allowing unlimited AI-generated content featuring dead celebrities. Examples flooding social media include Tupac Shakur chatting with Malcolm X, Bruce Lee DJing, Michael Jackson doing standup comedy, and Stephen Hawking skateboarding. All videos include OpenAI's moving Sora watermark to...
read Oct 6, 2025Robin Williams’ daughter asks fans to stop sending AI videos of late father
Robin Williams' daughter Zelda Williams has publicly asked fans to stop sending her AI-generated videos of her late father, calling the practice "gross" and "personally disturbing." The filmmaker's emotional Instagram story posts highlight growing concerns about AI's use of deceased celebrities' likenesses without consent, particularly as the technology becomes more accessible for creating deepfake content. What they're saying: Zelda Williams delivered a pointed message to those creating and sharing AI recreations of her father. "Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad," she wrote. "Stop believing I wanna see it or that I'll understand, I don't and I won't."...
read Oct 6, 2025When the backlash is Swiftie: Tay Tay grilled over alleged AI use in album promo videos
Taylor Swift is facing criticism on social media for allegedly using artificial intelligence to create promotional videos for her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl." The controversy centers around a viral marketing campaign featuring QR codes leading fans to discover "orange doors" across 12 cities, with eagle-eyed observers spotting visual inconsistencies in the videos that suggest AI generation. What you should know: The "Orange Door" marketing campaign included videos showing hidden lounge areas and puzzles with visual clues and messages typical of Swift's easter egg marketing style.• Fans found QR codes in 12 cities including Melbourne, London, Chicago, Nashville,...
read Oct 6, 2025AI travel tools send tourists to real-sounding but fake, dangerous destinations
AI travel planning tools are sending tourists to dangerous, nonexistent destinations, with recent incidents including hikers searching for a fictional "Sacred Canyon of Humantay" in Peru's Andes Mountains. These AI hallucinations are creating serious safety risks as 24 percent of tourists now rely on artificial intelligence for trip planning, according to a 2025 Global Rescue survey. The big picture: AI models are generating convincing but completely fabricated travel destinations by combining real images and location names, leading unsuspecting travelers into hazardous situations without proper preparation or safety measures. Key safety incidents: Multiple dangerous situations have emerged from AI-generated travel misinformation....
read Oct 2, 2025Sora creates deepfakes of dead celebrities like Michael Jackson despite OpenAI policy
OpenAI's Sora video generation app allows users to create AI deepfakes of deceased celebrities like Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, and Malcolm X, despite the company's stated policy of blocking depictions of public figures. The policy exemption for "historical figures" raises questions about consent, misinformation, and the potential misuse of AI-generated content featuring dead celebrities who cannot approve their digital resurrection. What you should know: OpenAI explicitly permits AI-generated videos of deceased public figures while blocking living celebrities unless they consent through the Cameos feature. Users have created disturbingly realistic deepfakes of Michael Jackson, Bob Ross, Tupac Shakur, and Malcolm X...
read Oct 2, 2025Flagrantly fun Sora 2 tops iOS charts while sparking copyright lawsuits
OpenAI released Sora 2, an AI-powered app that creates high-definition videos from text prompts and allows users to insert realistic "cameos" of themselves and others into AI-generated content. The app immediately surged to become the most popular video app on iOS, but its ability to generate copyrighted characters like Mario and Pikachu has sparked significant copyright and deepfake concerns among legal experts. What you should know: Sora 2 represents a major upgrade from OpenAI's original Sora model, now featuring synchronized dialogue and sound effects alongside video generation. Users can create lifelike videos by providing simple text descriptions, and the app...
read Oct 1, 2025AI-generated elder death videos rack up 32M views on Meta platforms
AI-generated videos showing elderly people falling to their deaths from glass bridges have gone viral across Meta's platforms, garnering millions of views despite their disturbing content. The phenomenon represents a new wave of AI-generated "slop" content that prioritizes engagement over human connection, highlighting how social media has become an entertainment platform rather than a space for genuine social interaction. What you should know: These AI-generated videos follow a consistent formula of showing people—often elderly or racially stereotyped characters—deliberately breaking glass-bottom bridges, causing others to fall to their deaths.• One video posted to X (formerly Twitter) received over 32 million views,...
read Oct 1, 2025Bollywood super couple sues Google over AI-generated deepfakes
Bollywood power couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have filed a legal petition asking Indian courts to protect their "personality rights" and prevent AI-generated content that uses their likenesses. The case specifically targets YouTube's parent company Google, demanding safeguards to prevent their images from being used to train AI models, potentially setting a significant precedent for celebrity image rights in the AI era. What you should know: The actors are challenging YouTube's policy that allows certain videos to be used as training material for third-party AI generation models.• They argue this practice contributes to the spread of false information...
read Sep 30, 2025Florida man faces 9 felony counts for using AI to create child pornography
A 39-year-old Florida man has been arrested for allegedly using artificial intelligence to create child pornography, marking a concerning development in how emerging technologies can be exploited for illegal purposes. The case highlights the growing challenge law enforcement faces as AI tools become more accessible and sophisticated, enabling new forms of digital exploitation that can destroy evidence and complicate investigations. What happened: The Marion County Sheriff's Office arrested Lucius Martin after receiving reports that he possessed child sexual abuse material on his phone, including AI-altered images of two juvenile victims. A witness discovered original photos from a social media application...
read Sep 29, 2025AI voice clones fool humans with just 4 minutes of training
New research from Queen Mary University of London reveals that AI voice clones created with just four minutes of audio recordings are now indistinguishable from real human voices to average listeners. The study demonstrates how sophisticated consumer-grade AI voice technology has become, raising significant concerns about fraud, misinformation, and the potential for voice cloning scams. What you should know: Researchers tested people's ability to distinguish between real voices and AI-generated clones using readily available technology.• The study used 40 synthetic AI voices and 40 human voice clones created with ElevenLabs' consumer tool, requiring roughly four minutes of recordings per clone.•...
read Sep 29, 2025YouTube removes horrific AI channel depicting women being murdered
YouTube removed a disturbing channel called "Woman Shot AI" that featured AI-generated videos depicting women being murdered, following an investigation by 404 Media, a technology news outlet. The channel accumulated over 175,000 views and nearly 1,200 subscribers since launching in June 2025, highlighting serious gaps in content moderation and AI tool safeguards. What you should know: The channel exclusively featured graphic AI-generated content showing women being shot, with videos following a consistent formula of photo-realistic depictions of women begging for their lives while held at gunpoint. The channel uploaded 27 videos with titles like "Lara Croft Shot in Breast –...
read Sep 26, 2025DHS deploys SF-based Hive AI tools to detect fake child abuse imagery
The US Department of Homeland Security is deploying AI detection tools to distinguish between AI-generated child abuse imagery and content depicting real victims. The Department's Cyber Crimes Center has awarded a $150,000 contract to San Francisco-based Hive AI, marking the first known use of automated detection systems to prioritize cases involving actual children at risk amid a surge in synthetic abuse material. Why this matters: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported a 1,325% increase in incidents involving generative AI in 2024, creating an overwhelming volume of synthetic content that diverts investigative resources from real victims. The detection...
read Sep 23, 2025FBI arrests Michigan man for AI deepfake extortion threats on social media
The FBI has arrested 36-year-old Joshua Justin Stilman of Commerce Township, Michigan, on federal charges of cyberstalking and interstate threats to extort, alleging he used AI-generated nude images to harass and threaten women on social media. The case represents one of the first high-profile federal prosecutions involving AI-generated pornographic content used as a weapon for digital harassment and extortion. What you should know: Federal agents conducted a dramatic arrest at Stilman's West Commerce Road home, with neighbors reporting they witnessed agents with weapons and shields forcing entry. Stilman allegedly used Instagram accounts "friendblender" and "thisDIYguy" to send AI-generated nude and...
read Sep 20, 2025There can be only one: Pope Francis rejects AI version of himself, warns of deepfake dangers
Pope Francis has rejected a proposal to create an AI version of himself that would provide digital audiences and answer questions from Catholics worldwide. The pontiff expressed strong concerns about AI impersonation and warned about the dangers of artificial intelligence development being driven primarily by wealthy individuals rather than humanity's broader needs. What they're saying: Pope Francis was emphatic in his rejection of the AI pope concept during excerpts from a planned biography. "Someone recently asked authorization to create an artificial me so that anybody could sign on to this website and have a personal audience with 'the pope,' but...
read Sep 2, 2025Welcome to AI Hammy: Will Smith posts bizarre AI cat concert video after fake fan controversy
Will Smith posted a bizarre AI-generated concert video featuring a crowd of distorted cats, confirming suspicions that his team has been using artificial intelligence to enhance footage from his recent tour. The latest video comes after widespread criticism of an earlier concert clip where AI was allegedly used to add fake enthusiastic fans to sparse audience footage, highlighting a growing trend of celebrities embracing low-quality AI content. What happened: Smith's Instagram account featured a new video showing him performing on stage before panning to reveal an audience composed entirely of AI-generated cats with distorted features. The video was co-posted with...
read Aug 27, 2025Michigan criminalizes nonconsensual AI-generated intimate images
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation making it illegal to create or distribute AI-generated pornographic images depicting real people without their consent. The new laws, which took effect Tuesday, establish both criminal penalties and civil remedies for victims of nonconsensual intimate deepfakes, addressing a growing form of digital exploitation. What you should know: The Protection from Intimate Deep Fakes Act and its companion bill specifically target AI-generated sexual imagery that falsely portrays identifiable individuals. House Bills 4047 and 4048 were sponsored by Representatives Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar) and Penelope Tsernoglou (D-East Lansing). The legislation prohibits both the creation and distribution of...
read Aug 22, 2025GOP candidate posts photorealistic AI selfie with Democratic leaders without disclosure
New Hampshire state Senator Daniel E. Innis posted an AI-generated fake selfie on social media showing himself with Democratic representatives Nancy Pelosi, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Chris Pappas during his 2026 GOP Senate campaign. The synthetic image, which lacked AI disclosure and was designed to look like a realistic photograph rather than an obvious illustration, highlights how artificial intelligence is already being deployed in subtle ways to shape political perceptions ahead of the next election cycle. What happened: Innis acknowledged the image was artificially created when questioned, saying his communications team produced it as part of an AI social media trend....
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