Cover image via AI-Generated Images
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Since the US captured Nicolas Maduro in early January, the Internet has become a "hall of mirrors" as real footage is being buried under a mountain of AI-generated content
These digital deepfakes range from the comedic to the deeply surreal.
In one clip, an AI-generated Maduro attempts to escape through a vent, only to end up dancing with Donald Trump to an Ice Spice track.
Leon Hernandez, a researcher at Andres Bello Catholic University, noted that "disinformation labs" are flooding platforms to create widespread scepticism
Hernandez told AFP the goal is to overwhelm the audience so they cannot distinguish fact from fiction.
Elena Block, a professor at the University of Queensland, explained that AI is the latest tool used to silence dissent.
This isn't entirely new for Venezuela, as Maduro was previously portrayed as a cartoon superhero named "Super Bigote".
AI as a technology has evolved to become more divisive. Trump has also used AI tools to post aggressive imagery, which Block argues trivialises the political landscape.
Block warned that this digital manipulation represents the "greatest threat to democracy".
As these tools become more accessible, the truth is becoming a luxury that is increasingly hard to find.
