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A widespread campaign of AI-generated deepfake videos is targeting public figures and media outlets in Kosovo and Albania to promote fraudulent medical products. These videos manipulate the voice and image of journalists and doctors to lend credibility to unlicensed health cures, posing significant risks to public health and media integrity. Fact-checking organizations have identified hundreds of such instances, highlighting a systemic issue of AI-enabled disinformation in the medical sector.
Kosovo public broadcaster RTK's logo and journalist Gëzim Bimbashi's image and voice were reportedly AI-manipulated in a Facebook video promoting Versatil Pro as a supposed cure for joint disease.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.
Also classified as
The deepfakes spread false medical claims, such as curing chronic joint diseases or restoring sight in seven days.
The primary harm is the use of AI-generated deepfakes of public figures to scam consumers into buying unlicensed, overpriced medical products.
Human
Due to a decision or action made by humans
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed
The incident was driven by human actors intentionally deploying AI deepfake tools to commit financial fraud and deceive the public.
Added categories peak at 3: Substantial (Epistemic Harm, Indirect)
A widespread commercial fraud campaign in Kosovo and Albania utilized AI-generated deepfakes of doctors and journalists to sell unlicensed medical products. While eroding epistemic trust in media and posing minor public health risks, the incident represents a low-level threat with minor national security implications.
The AI was used as a tool by human operators to generate deepfake videos and synthetic voices from existing media footage.
Limited Risk: The incident involves AI-generated content such as deepfakes, which are subject to transparency obligations under the Act.
The AI systems were used specifically to generate deepfake videos and clone the voices of public figures to promote fraudulent products.
The reports from Krypometer provide clear, detailed, and verified facts regarding the deepfake campaign, including specific numbers of AI-generated articles (83 out of 220) and direct statements from the affected individuals.
None. The evidence clearly points to a coordinated commercial fraud campaign using synthetic media.
While the specific AI generation tools are unnamed, this does not prevent reliable classification under the taxonomies.
Technology
AI Voice and Video Cloning
AI cloned voices and manipulated video of news presenters to deceive viewers.
Virtual Machine Evasion
Scammers used virtual machines to bypass Meta location and monetization blocks.
Data Inputs
Misused Broadcast Footage
Authentic news footage was used as input to generate realistic deepfakes.
Stolen Public Identities
Names and images of real doctors and artists were fed into AI scam engines.
Human Factors
Public Trust in TV Logos
Viewers trusted deepfakes because they displayed familiar television logos.
Low Digital Literacy
Audiences failed to recognize AI-generated speech and video manipulations.
Process and Methods
Weak Social Media Moderation
Platforms failed to proactively detect and remove AI-generated scam videos.
Inefficient Fact Checking
Fact-checking occurred after scams spread, failing to prevent initial harm.
Regulatory Environment
Regulatory Authority Gaps
Medical agencies lacked the power to ban supplement ads on social media.
Outdated Supplement Laws
Lack of specific laws for food supplements allowed online sales loopholes.
Lagging Regional Alignment
Slow progress in aligning cross-border healthcare and medicine legislation.
AI system involved
An AI system was involved, but the reports do not identify it.
Identified by automated extraction; can differ from the alleged developers above.
