Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (March 16) released another video message hours after a clip posted from a coffee shop was flagged as a possible deepfake by the AI chatbot Grok.
The latest video shows Netanyahu speaking to people against a backdrop of greenery and mountains. It appeared shortly after an earlier clip shared on his X account drew intense scrutiny on social media.
Netanyahu captioned the post in Hebrew: “Sticking to the guidelines and winning together.”
Coffee shop clip triggers deepfake debate
The earlier video, which showed Netanyahu at a coffee shop and joking about rumours of his death, quickly became the subject of debate after Grok suggested the footage might be AI-generated.
The chatbot described the clip as a “satire” video and flagged several visual irregularities it said were consistent with deepfakes.
According to Grok’s analysis, the coffee level in Netanyahu’s cup appeared static throughout the clip, while the lip movements did not align naturally with the audio, raising doubts about the authenticity of the footage.
Grok flags signs of possible AI generation
Responding to a user on X about the video’s authenticity, Grok said:
“No, it’s not real. This is an AI-generated deepfake video. Netanyahu’s official account posted it as satire/humor (caption: ‘They say I’m what?’), likely to push back on recent death rumors amid the Iran conflict. Signs like static coffee level, unnatural lip sync, and casual talk of ops confirm it’s fake.”
The claim quickly fueled debate online over whether the video was meant as satire or was actually generated using artificial intelligence.
Death rumours spread online
The coffee shop clip had been posted in response to rumours circulating on social media claiming that Netanyahu had been killed in an Iranian attack.
In the video, the Israeli leader mocked the speculation while sipping coffee at a café, saying: “They say I’m what?”
The rumours had spread widely online amid conspiracy theories suggesting that a recent televised appearance by Netanyahu had been created using artificial intelligence.
Fresh threat from Iran
Meanwhile, tensions escalated after Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had issued a fresh threat against the Israeli prime minister.
In a post on X, the agency wrote: “IRGC vows to pursue and kill ‘child-killer’ Netanyahu if he is still alive.”
The threat came as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran continues to fuel intense rhetoric and misinformation online.
Netanyahu responds with new video
Amid the swirling speculation, Netanyahu released the new video message appearing outdoors, seemingly aimed at reinforcing that he is alive.
The clip surfaced as debates continued online over whether the earlier coffee shop video was satire, a deepfake, or part of a broader attempt to counter viral death rumours.
