A video circulating on social media purportedly showing billionaire Mukesh Ambani endorsing a stock market forum has been debunked as a deepfake by the India TV Fact Check team. The clip, created using artificial voice cloning technology, features Ambani promoting the forum and offering investment advice.
Origins of the fake video unveiled
The original footage of Ambani speaking at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2024 was manipulated to create the deceptive clip, which was shared on a Facebook page named Evercore 2. The video includes a link to an external website, possibly fraudulent, under the guise of Evercore.
Red flags identified
India TV Fact Check scrutinised the video and identified several discrepancies characteristic of deepfake technology. These include an unusual accent in the voice, mismatched lip-syncing, and the absence of authentic speech content from Ambani.
Past instances of manipulated videos
This isn't the first time Ambani has been targeted by deep-fake creators. The Fact Check team previously debunked similar videos featuring fabricated endorsements by Ambani. The presence of the Vibrant Gujarat 2024 sign in the clip further confirms its origin as an authentic event.
Ambani's speech at Vibrant Gujarat Summit
Ambani's actual speech, focusing on Reliance Industries' plans for Gujarat and expressing optimism about India's economic growth, was live-streamed on the official YouTube channels of the Prime Minister's Office and ANI on January 10, 2024. Analysis using Loccus.ai, an AI audio detection tool, confirmed the AI-generated nature of the voiceover in the fake video.
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