On Sunday, Anup Soni issued a public warning regarding a deepfake video of him circulating online. The video fraudulently promotes IPL betting, manipulating his voice in clips from his popular show Crime Patrol.
Things are getting manipulated these days: Anup Soni
The video uses clips from a true-crime anthology in which, the actor serves as host. His voice has been manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to endorse betting and solicit viewers to join a Telegram group. In the video, Anup’s AI-generated voice can be heard saying, “Ek aise bande ke baare me batane ja raha hun, jiska naam sun kar bookie log kaanpte hain, kyuki isne back to back 39 matches pass dia hain. Rohit Khattar jo sabse bada cricket ka fixer hain, jo bade bade matches fix karke jail bhi ja chuka hain. Iska Telegram join kariye.”
(A file photo of Anup Soni | Image: Instagram)
Soon after the video went viral, Anup issued a statement, warning his fans not to fall pray. He stated that it is a “completely fake video” and everyone has to be alert as to how and to what extent things are getting manipulated these days. “The voice totally seems like I’m only saying. Even video clips are from Crime Patrol. Please be alert, people,” he concluded.
For the unversed, the video has garnered millions of views, raising concern about the potential for misuse.
(A file photo of Anup Soni | Image: Instagram)
Celebs who have been victims of deep fakes
Anup Soni is the new celeb to be a victim of deepfake videos. Earlier, Ranveer Singh, Rashmika Mandanna, Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, and Ashutosh Rana have been the victims. During the promotion of Srikanth, Rajkummar Rao addressed the raising issue and stressed the need for stricter laws and punishments in matters like these. He asserted that tools of AI should be used for good and not be misused. The actor also shared that only a small percentage of the population is actually aware of the dangers of AI. He said, “If someone misuses it or anything, there should be very strict laws.”
(With inputs from IANS)