Pro-Bitcoin DeSantis Tagged on AI-Fake Photos in Trump Smear Campaign

Pro-Bitcoin (BTC) presidential bid Ron DeSantis has been tagged for using images apparently generated by artificial intelligence in an ad campaign to discredit rival and former President Donald Trump.

This comes amid a rise in AI-generated deep fakes being used in political advertisements and movements in recent months.

On June 5, DeSantis’ campaign tweeted a video purported to show Trump’s close support of Anthony Fauci, Trump’s chief medical advisor, when he was President of the United States.

Fauci is a controversial figure in GOP circles for, among other reasons, his handling of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which many deemed heavy-handed.

Donald Trump became a household name after firing countless people *on television*

But when it came to Fauci… pic.twitter.com/7Lxwf75NQm

— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) June 5, 2023

The video featured a collage of real images depicting Trump and Fauci, with AI-generated images of the pair showing Trump kissing Fauci.

Twitter’s Community Notes feature – the platform’s community-driven misinformation-dispersing project – added a disclaimer calling the tweets “AI-generated images”.

AFP Fact Check, a division of the news agency Agence France-Presse Said The images had “recognition of AI-generated imagery”.

DeSantis and Trump are facing off to pick the Republican nominee for president. DeSantis bid adieu to a Twitter space last month and promised to “protect” bitcoin vote Is he behind Trump?

AI in the political sphere

Others in politics have used AI-generated media to attack rivals, with even Trump’s campaign using AI to discredit DeSantis.

Shortly after DeSantis announced his presidential bid, Trump posted a video mocking DeSantis’ Twitter-based announcement, featuring a likeness of DeSantis, Elon Musk, George Soros, Adolf Hitler, Satan, and Trump. Deepfake audio was used to create the fake Twitter space.