Fabricated videos created using artificial intelligence technology have targeted former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, including one in which he falsely declares himself to be Jesus Christ and makes racist predictions.
In the deceptive footage, an AI-generated version of Adams appears in a church setting, asserting his divine identity and announcing a new Libertarian constitution. The video, posted last year, also features the AI Adams making a false prophecy about minority deportations and the jailing of police officers.
Other AI-generated social media videos show a likeness of Adams engaging in various activities, such as offering "life hacks" or demonstrating cooking techniques. In one clip, an AI Adams is depicted boiling grapes, with a voiceover instructing on the preparation of a maltose-based recipe.
The videos are reportedly created by Prognoz Pogodi, who translates AI-generated content from Chinese social media platforms like RedNote and Xiaohongshu. Pogodi uses AI voice cloning technology to mimic Adams's signature speech patterns and vocal inflections, adding them to existing video clips where Adams's image is superimposed onto unrelated content.
Pogodi stated that he selects the best vocal takes from the AI clone and then clips the AI-generated Adams from existing footage, removing the background and overlaying him onto the muted original video. The process includes adding background music through ElevenLabs' sound effect generator and incorporating captions. Pogodi believes Adams's existing video archive, which features him making "unusual and funny things," makes him an ideal subject for this type of AI manipulation.