AI-generated video of US journalist praising Pakistan misleads online - Yahoo News Malaysia
An AI-generated video circulating online falsely depicts CNN journalist Fareed Zakaria praising Pakistan's strategic importance; CNN confirms the video is fake.
- Incident date
- May 2024
- Target
- Fareed Zakaria
A deepfake video of CNN journalist Fareed Zakaria praising Pakistan's geopolitical importance circulated online, misleading viewers. CNN has confirmed that the video is fake and did not air on its network. Zakaria himself has also stated the video is fake.
What happened
The 56-second video, shared on X, purports to show Zakaria outlining Pakistan's political significance to the United States and the Middle East. Signs indicate the video was fabricated, including unnatural pauses between words and visual inconsistencies such as arched eyebrows and disappearing forehead wrinkles. CNN confirmed the video was fake on May 15. Analysis using voice cloning detection tools indicated a high probability that the soundtrack was AI-generated. The video appeared in similar posts across X and Facebook and was initially picked up by at least one Pakistani media outlet before being debunked.