IOC Becomes Target of AI-Generated Fake News Campaign Yet Again

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been the target of an AI-generated fake news campaign yet again. The campaign intends to put a dent in the credibility of the governance body of the biggest international sports event. It questions the decision-making policies of the organization amid the ongoing geopolitical wars.

AI-generated fake news weaponry is not being leveraged for the first time to feature popular celebrity cones. It happened in multiple episodes before. This time, just like the previous incidents, it used the AI-generated image and voice-over of a Hollywood star. It is attempting to tarnish the image of the body’s top officials like Mark Adams and Thomas Bach.

IOC’s Leadership Targeted using AI

IOC is grappling this time with a 4-part documentary-styled series, created using Generative AI, claiming senior-level corruption. It has several cuts and the narration voice-over of Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. According to the IOC, it’s an “organized disinformation campaign with fabricated content”.

The 4-part series alleges a conspiracy within the IOC to conduct misuse of power and violate the fundamental right of certain nations to participate in the Olympics. It also claims that it was done in place of gross monetary benefits to the top authorities.

Thomas Bach, the current president of the International Olympic Committee, is alleged to have led an embezzlement scheme to relocate funds to carry out the fraudulent activities. The voice-over of Tom Cruise declares that the “corrupt officials are slowly and painfully destroying the Olympic sports that have existed for thousands of years,”

The series claims that it was part of a purported Netflix documentary series titled “Olympics Has Fallen”, which got canceled for political reasons, hence resurfacing on YouTube. It eventually got removed from YouTube with IOC’s efforts, but found its way to a Telegram channel. This Telegram channel has over 400,000 subscribers and appears to be engaging in predominantly Russian-language content.

The Purported Motivations Behind the Fake News Campaign

The real purpose of tarnishing the international committee’s image is cited to be the concurrent geopolitical conflicts across the globe. The content of the fake documentary is in alignment with Russia’s discontentment with the IOC’s recent decision to ban the country from the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Recently, the international organization suspended the Russian National Olympic Committee from entering the Paris Olympics in 2024. On the contrary, the Olympic Committee is determined to recognize the regional sports bodies from the disputed Ukrainian territories. The fake documentary appeared on the internet shortly after the decision.

One specific scene also showcases Mark Adams, IOC’s top spokesman, contemplating the suspension of Israeli and Palestinian national teams due to the ongoing war.

Concerns Regarding AI Spreading False News

Notably, this isn’t the first time AI techniques such as generative AI are being used to feature celebrities for malicious actors spreading propaganda. Recently, renowned names from the entertainment industry, such as Scarlett Johnson and Tom Hanks’ voices have been used to target the masses for propaganda narratives.

As for the International Olympic Committee, it issued a statement saying that the organization will “continue to monitor the situation, and will take action where appropriate and necessary.”

Although it didn’t point fingers at anyone specific for the malicious campaign, it emphasized the need to increase effective scrutiny over these things and put efficient systems in place to accurately authenticate such ads and promotions. There must also be diligent verification of celebrity consent and the permissiveness of all the AI-generated content in the free online space.

Andrew is a blockchain developer who developed his interest in cryptocurrencies while his post-graduation. He is a keen observer of details and shares his passion for writing along with being a developer. His backend knowledge about blockchain helps him give a unique perspective to his writing