AI-generated videos expressing support for Burkina Faso's military junta were created using Synthesia and circulated on WhatsApp and social media as apparent propaganda.
Bizarre AI-generated videos supporting Burkina Faso's military junta appeared online and were shared via WhatsApp in January 2023. The videos featured AI avatars created using Synthesia, an AI video generator, expressing support for the country's transitional authorities under Interim President Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in a coup in September 2022. One video featured an avatar named 'Alisha' calling herself a Pan-Africanist and appealing for solidarity with the Burkinabe people. A second similar video with different avatars reading the same script was also created. The videos were discovered when Lauren Blanchard, a specialist in African affairs at the Congressional Research Service, shared one on Twitter after it had been circulating on WhatsApp. Ibrahima Maiga, who describes himself as a Sahelian political scientist from Burkina Faso, posted one video on Facebook on January 23rd but claimed he found it on WhatsApp and was unaware it was AI-generated. He deleted the video after being contacted by journalists. Synthesia confirmed the videos violated their terms of service and banned the user who created them but would not reveal their identity. Some Twitter users speculated without evidence that the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary organization, was responsible for the videos.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to conduct large-scale disinformation campaigns, malicious surveillance, or targeted and sophisticated automated censorship and propaganda, with the aim of manipulating political processes, public opinion, and behavior.
Human
Due to a decision or action made by humans
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed