Speaking at the 40th Media Innovation Network (MINDS) conference in Vienna, President Alexander Van der Bellen issued a warning regarding the escalating disinformation risks posed by rapidly developing artificial intelligence (AI). The president used his own experience to illustrate the scale of the threat, recounting an AI-generated video purporting to show him endorsing a cryptocurrency platform, which he firmly denied. Van der Bellen stressed that modern technologies allow virtually anyone to generate misleading content, from compromising images to deepfake videos.
While he noted that the specific forgery he encountered was identifiable due to a regional dialect mismatch, he cautioned that technological advancement means such fabrications will soon become nearly indistinguishable from reality. In response, the president emphasized the crucial role of fact-checking agencies, describing them as essential, independent markers of verifiable information. He asserted that a functioning liberal democracy depends on a shared understanding of objective facts versus mere opinion.
The address covered broader geopolitical concerns, warning that authoritarian regimes often target truth to control narratives. He cited instances globally where freedom of speech is restricted, noting that controlling the flow of information is a strategic goal for those who oppose truth. Despite these attempts to manipulate public discourse, Van der Bellen concluded that the truth ultimately prevails.
He called for enhanced media literacy, robust support for independent journalism, and the active defense of democratic values against these digital threats.
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