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Russian State Media Uses AI to Create Fictional Video of Western Leaders Making Controversial Confessions
A viral video purporting to show Western leaders speaking candidly about controversial political narratives has been confirmed as entirely AI-generated content created by RT, the Russian state-controlled television network. The video, published on X (formerly Twitter) by RT’s official account on October 23, 2025, was produced as part of celebrations marking the network’s 20th anniversary.
The manipulated footage features likenesses of several prominent Western political figures, including former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Joe Biden, alongside former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In the video, these AI-generated figures appear to make damaging admissions about controversial political decisions and actions.
RT clearly labeled the content as fabricated, including a disclaimer in both the post caption and within the video itself. The caption reads: “Did you ever wish Western leaders would be a bit more honest? If Bush said the truth about the Iraq war? If BoJo admitted to botching the Ukraine peace deal? RT with a touch of AI imagined what such a world would look like.” A small text box reading “AI-generated parody content” also appears in the lower corner of the video at the 50-second mark.
The fabricated dialogue begins with an AI-generated Obama asking, “Do you ever question yourself?” followed by other fake world leaders making damaging fictional “confessions.” The AI Bush admits to knowing Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, while the fabricated Sarkozy claims to have bombed Libya to cover up campaign financing from Gaddafi. The synthetic von der Leyen references a fictional secret deal with Pfizer worth €35 billion related to COVID vaccines.
The video continues with an AI-generated Biden mocking his own cognitive abilities, asking, “Who was actually running the country when I could barely walk? And remember, remember, jember, remember my own name?” Meanwhile, the fake Johnson implies corrupt motivations behind encouraging Ukraine to continue fighting Russia despite a supposed peace deal.
In the second half of the video, the AI-generated world leaders acknowledge the artificial nature of the content, with the fake Johnson explicitly stating that “RT generated this video and made us say so.” The clip concludes with the AI Bush toasting RT in Russian with “za zdorov’ye” (to health).
The video was produced as part of RT’s 20th anniversary celebration held at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater on October 17, 2025, as noted in the video credits.
RT, formerly known as Russia Today, has frequently been criticized by Western governments and media analysts for functioning as a propaganda outlet for the Russian government. The network has been accused of spreading disinformation and advancing narratives that support Russian foreign policy objectives, particularly regarding conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.
The increasing sophistication of AI-generated media has raised concerns among cybersecurity experts and media literacy advocates about the potential for such technology to be used for more sophisticated disinformation campaigns in the future, particularly as visual and audio cues that might signal artificial content become less detectable to average viewers.
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12 Comments
This is a worrying example of how state actors like RT are increasingly leveraging AI and video manipulation to advance their political agendas. While the video is labeled as fabricated, the underlying technology is only going to become more sophisticated over time. We need robust frameworks to combat the rising tide of digital disinformation.
Absolutely. The proliferation of deepfakes poses huge risks to democratic discourse and the integrity of our information ecosystem. Policymakers, tech companies, and civil society need to work together to stay ahead of these emerging threats and protect the public from manipulation.
While I appreciate RT’s transparency in labeling this as fabricated content, the damage may already be done. Even with the disclaimer, many people will have seen the video and come away with the false impression that Western leaders are ‘dishonest.’ We need to find ways to rapidly debunk and counteract this kind of disinformation.
I agree. The spread of these manipulated videos, even if labeled as fakes, can have lasting impacts on public perceptions. It’s crucial that fact-checkers, journalists, and tech platforms work swiftly to identify and call out these types of deepfakes before they gain traction.
Wow, this is quite a concerning development. I’m glad RT at least labeled the video as fabricated, but the use of AI to create this kind of misleading content is really troubling. We need to be extra vigilant about verifying the sources and authenticity of political information these days.
Agreed. The blurring of fact and fiction is a serious threat to democratic discourse. I hope regulatory bodies crack down hard on this kind of blatant disinformation.
I’m curious to know more about RT’s motivations behind this stunt. Is it just a cynical attempt to sow division and erode trust in Western leadership? Or is there a more specific political agenda at play here? Either way, it’s a concerning development that deserves close scrutiny.
Given RT’s track record as a Russian state-controlled media outlet, I suspect their goal is to undermine confidence in Western democratic institutions and promote a pro-Kremlin narrative. But you raise a good point – the exact motivations behind this deepfake video warrant further investigation.
This is a scary example of how AI can be weaponized to spread political propaganda. Even with the disclaimer, many people will still be misled by the realistic-looking footage. We need robust media literacy education to help people identify these kinds of deepfakes.
Absolutely. The ability to create hyperrealistic fake videos poses huge risks to public trust and the integrity of our political institutions. Stronger safeguards and accountability measures are urgently needed.
I’m curious to know if this AI-generated video is part of a broader disinformation campaign by RT, or if it’s more of an isolated incident. Either way, it’s a concerning development that highlights the need for increased media literacy and critical thinking skills among the general public.
Good point. Given RT’s track record, this is likely just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their use of AI-powered deepfakes and other manipulative tactics. Strengthening media literacy education is crucial, but we also need robust regulations and enforcement to hold these state media outlets accountable.