Everyone Fell For This Erling Haaland Scared By His Reflection Video… It’s Actually AI - 8days

A viral video depicting Norwegian football star Erling Haaland reacting with shock to his own reflection while eating at a restaurant has been exposed as a sophisticated AI-generated deepfake. The clip, which garnered tens of millions of views across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X, successfully deceived a wide audience before being debunked.

What happened

The video utilized face-swap technology to superimpose Erling Haaland’s face onto footage of Chinese comedian Jin Long. The original comedy skit, which was posted on Douyin on June 15, features the comedian as a worker eating a meal before catching sight of his dirt-covered face in a mirror and jumping in fright.

While many viewers were initially fooled, some grew suspicious of the context, noting that the footballer appeared to be eating a bao with chopsticks in a Chinese restaurant. The ease with which the edit spread was attributed to Haaland's known off-pitch personality, which many found consistent with the goofy nature of the prank. The incident gained particular traction in China, where the athlete has developed a significant following through his association with local brands and his growing presence in internet memes.

Following the revelation, the incident served as a stark reminder of the increasing realism of AI-generated content. Commenters expressed both amusement at the prank and concern regarding the ease with which online audiences can be manipulated by digital fabrications.