Speaking at the 40th Media Innovation Network (MINDS) conference in Vienna on Thursday, the Austrian president, Alexander Van der Bellen, issued a warning regarding the escalating risks of disinformation fueled by rapid artificial intelligence (AI) development. The president illustrated the scale of the problem using personal experience, recounting an AI-generated video that falsely appeared to show him endorsing a cryptocurrency investment platform, which he confirmed he never did. Van der Bellen noted that modern technology allows anyone with basic computer access to generate misleading content, including images depicting opponents in compromising situations.
He emphasized that while the forgery he encountered was somewhat identifiable—due to the AI clone using a North German dialect inconsistent with Austrian speech—technology is advancing rapidly, potentially making such videos indistinguishable from reality. The president stressed the critical role of fact-checking agencies as reliable sources of verified information, describing them as an independent mark of quality resistant to political pressure. He asserted that a functioning liberal democracy depends on a shared understanding of truth.
Furthermore, the president warned that various global actors attempt to restrict freedom of speech and control information flow. He argued that autocrats naturally oppose truth, making it a strategy to confuse the public regarding right and wrong. He called for increased media literacy, robust support for independent journalism, and the active defense of democratic values.
Attending the forum were representatives from numerous global news agencies.
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