Shiri Bibas deepfake video — Oct 2026

A fabricated deepfake video was created and circulated prior to the Israeli election, exploiting the likeness of the late Shiri Bibas to influence public opinion. The video falsely depicted Bibas urging Israelis to vote for the Democrats party, marking a significant instance of AI-driven political manipulation.

What happened

The incident involved the use of generative AI technology to animate the likeness of Shiri Bibas, creating a video that made it appear as though she was delivering a political message she never actually made. According to a report by the Israeli disinformation watchdog FakeReporter, this deepfake was part of a broader trend of AI-generated content used to mislead the public during the election period. The technology allowed for the creation of a convincing, albeit entirely fabricated, video at a low cost. This incident highlights the increasing difficulty for the public to identify manipulated content in real time, as AI tools now enable the creation of realistic deepfakes that can be used to spread disinformation and undermine the ability of voters to make decisions based on reliable information.