Pro-Kremlin deepfakes put surrender rhetoric in the mouths of Ukrainian lawmakers
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Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels are distributing AI-generated deepfake videos of two Ukrainian politicians, according to NewsGuard. The videos feature Andriy Levus, a former deputy head of the Ukrainian Security Service, and Ivan Yunakov, a member of President Zelenskyy's party. In the clips, Levus appears to call for peace talks while Yunakov laments the loss of territory. The videos display telltale signs of AI manipulation, including unnatural blinking, flat voices, and stiff facial expressions. They reportedly gained about 130,000 views within two weeks, highlighting how AI can amplify propaganda. The article notes a similar but cruder deepfake of President Zelenskyy appeared in 2022. It also argues that such videos serve their purpose regardless of debunking, either spreading the false message or eroding trust in public information and democratic discourse.
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