Deepfake case study · Audio
The deepfake CEO: Why leadership teams may have a false sense of security - imd.org
In 2024, criminals impersonated the CEO of WPP, a global advertising company, using AI-generated audio, highlighting the increasing sophistication and accessibility of deepfake technology for fraudulent activities.
- Incident date
- Jan 2024
- Target
- WPP
Updated May 22, 2026 · 1 min read
Generative AI is making it easier for criminals to impersonate senior executives. In 2024, an attempt was made to impersonate the CEO of WPP, a global advertising company, using AI-generated audio.
What happened
Criminals used AI-generated audio to impersonate the CEO. This incident demonstrates that scammers now have many tools to impersonate those in authority. Such deepfakes are used to enable fraud and extortion.