Italy PM Meloni warns over AI deepfakes after false photos of her circulate

The prime minister posted an example of a fake image appearing to show her sitting on her bed in her underwear

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ⁠said on ⁠Tuesday that fake images ⁠of her generated by artificial intelligence were circulating online, warning that such false photos could deceive the public and target people unable to defend themselves.

Meloni said ‌in a statement that several fake photos of her had been created with AI and passed off as real by political opponents.

She posted one such image appearing to show her sitting on a bed wearing underwear.

⁠The original post included outraged comment that the photo was ‌shameful and unworthy of an Italian prime minister.

“I must admit that whoever created them, at least ‌in the attached case, has also improved me quite ⁠a ⁠bit,” Meloni said, adding that the episode showed how “anything at all” was now being ‌used to attack people and spread falsehoods.

“The point, however, goes beyond me,” ‌she ‌said.