In fake videos that have gone viral on the Internet, two of Bollywood’s top actors are shown criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asking people to vote for the opposition Congress party in India’s general elections.
In a 30-second video featuring Aamir Khan and another 41-second video featuring Ranveer Singh, the two Bollywood actors are quoted as saying that Modi failed to fulfill his election promises and did not address critical economic issues in his two terms. of the prime ministership.
Both these AI-generated videos end with the Congress campaign symbol and slogan: “Vote Justice, Vote Congress.”
The two videos have been viewed on social media more than half a million times since last week, Reuters found.
Their release underscores the role such AI-generated content can play in India’s mammoth elections that began on Friday and will continue until June. Artificial intelligence and fake AI-generated videos, so-called deepfakes, are increasingly being used in elections elsewhere in the world, including in the US, Pakistan and Indonesia.
Election campaigning in India has long focused on public rallies and a door-to-door approach, but intensive use of WhatsApp and Facebook as election campaign tools began in 2019. This year’s general election, in which Modi is expected to secure a third term , are the first to use artificial intelligence.
The two actors have stated that the videos are fake. Facebook, X and at least eight fact-checking websites have said they are fake, a Reuters check confirmed.
Reuters was unable to determine who created the videos. Khan has expressed concern over the fake videos going viral and Singh’s team is looking into the matter, according to a representative for both the actors. Singh wrote on X on Friday: “Friends, beware of deepfakes.”
Modi’s office and the IT chief of his Bharatiya Janata Party did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
