MicroStrategy executive chairman Michael Saylor reveals his team works to remove around 80 artificial intelligence (AI)-generated fake videos of him daily, most of which promote some kind of Bitcoin (BTC)-related scam.
In a Jan. 13 post on X (formerly Twitter), Saylor warned his 3.2 million followers about the large number of deep fake videos found on YouTube, warning that “the scammers keep launching more.”
“There is no risk-free way to double your #bitcoin, and @MicroStrategy doesn’t give away $BTC to those who scan a barcode,” he reiterated.
⚠️ Warning ⚠️ There is no risk-free way to double your #bitcoin, and @MicroStrategy doesn't give away $BTC to those who scan a barcode. My team takes down about 80 fake AI-generated @YouTube videos every day, but the scammers keep launching more. Don't trust, verify. pic.twitter.com/gqZkQW02Ji
— Michael Saylor⚡️ (@saylor) January 13, 2024
Last week, several users on X reported fake AI-generated videos with Saylor purportedly promising to double people’s money. The videos prompt viewers to scan the QR code to send BTC to the scammer’s address.
Here is the Michael Saylor deep fake scam. Just popped up on YouTube (again) pic.twitter.com/9t4PDCJcU6
— ⪛⦿⫺Beyondthehorizon2620 (@BTH2620) January 8, 2024
In 2022, a similar situation arose with a slew of fake Elon Musk videos appearing on the video streaming platform.
Earlier in January, a deepfake video featuring Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko was doing the rounds on YouTube and social media.
In an interview with The Verge, Austin Federa, head of strategy at the Solana Foundation, said, “There has been a substantial increase in deepfakes and other AI-generated content recently.”
Related: US officials say AI could facilitate hacking, scamming and money laundering
In December 2023, cybersecurity experts warned that AI-powered deep fake videos will become more realistic as AI technology advances.
Speaking to Cointelegraph, CertiK blockchain analyst Jesse Leclere said phishing is evolving in sophistication, and one of the key elements driving its evolution is generative AI.
0xScope researcher Jerry Peng added that AI could form a key component in generating ever-more realistic deep fakes to fool crypto users.
On Jan. 9, United States law enforcement officials warned that generative AI tools can lower the technical barrier of entry for would-be scammers.
However, Rob Joyce, director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, also argued that AI could help authorities hunt down illegal activity more efficiently.
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