Alex Jones Furious After Falling For AI-Generated Tucker Carlson Prank Call

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones expressed grave concern about the rise of misinformation on his InfoWars show on Thursday, after falling victim to a prank call from Canadian serial prankster, Chris James, who streams under the name “Prank Stallone.”

No stranger to the “fake news” phenomenon, conspiracy-peddler Jones was fooled by an AI-generated voice mimicking former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, but failed to see the funny side of the prank call.

In a tweet last Wednesday, James wrote: “Okay so let’s say someone has Tucker Carlson’s cell number, and also Alex Jones’ cell phone number, and also an AI Tucker Carlson voice. They could IN THEORY call Alex Jones and pretend to be Tucker, and have a full conversation with him. Anyways I just did that.”

In a follow-up tweet, James added, “I was honestly caught off guard by how much he bought that it was Tucker. I ran out of clips.”

On Monday, James posted the audio on YouTube, as promised, in a video titled “The One With That One Call.” Listening to the audio, it’s obvious that Jones is speaking to a machine almost instantly, as the Carlson AI-voice robotically repeats the phrase, “you busy right now, or you got a second to talk?”

Jones, however, is receptive, and AI-generated Carlson goes on to pitch a show where the two far-right hosts go “topless” so they can “suck each others nipples,” as a “comment on gender roles.” Jones responds, “That’s a really great idea.”

AI-Carlson then delivers the same line three times in a row, a complaint about how “they” took his bow tie, ending with an expletive. Jones seems to realize something is up, laughing midway and asking the AI, “What’s going on, man?” It takes another moment for Jones to understand that he’s been fooled by an AI-generated voice, and the audio cuts out.

As any professional trickster knows, a good prank is all about provoking a dramatic reaction, and Jones certainly delivered, dedicating a full thirty-minute segment on his Thursday show ranting about the immorality of the prank call and warning of dire legal consequences.

“He stole Tucker Carlson’s identity,” Jones said. “He faked his number. He faked his voice. He called me and made sexual threats, basically. And he just thinks that’s funny. Because in his sociopathic world, I don’t exist. Alex Jones is fair game for any attacks.”

Jones, who famously spent years spreading unhinged conspiracy theories and calling the Sandy Hook massacre a “total hoax,” currently owes millions of dollars to grieving Sandy Hook parents, after finally facing legal consequences for his actions.

Failing to see the irony, Jones delivered a stern warning to James: “Let me tell the little prankster Prank Stallone something. Tucker Carlson’s lawyers are involved, and what you did, we believe is a crime, so even though you think you are safe up in Canada, you are going to get arrested for what you did yesterday. So keep laughing, you little arrogant person … You sowed the wind, and you now reap the whirlwind.”

Amusingly, Jones even expressed concern about the dangers of AI-generated misinformation. “This is just the beginning,” Jones warned. “Now the scum of the earth like Prank Stallone has access to this.”

Jones finished his segment on a surprisingly emotional note, demanding that James appear on his show to “explain your intent was not to be mean,” and implied that Tucker Carlson was going through a lot right now, in his personal life.

On Twitter, James clarified that he would not be appearing on Jones’ show, writing: “my intuition screamed at me that it was a bad idea.”

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2023/05/08/alex-jones-furious-after-falling-for-ai-generated-tucker-carlson-prank-call/