The aftermath of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which led to the removal of President Nicolas Maduro, has seen a surge of AI-generated videos flooding social media platforms. These artificial clips, depicting jubilant crowds celebrating Maduro’s downfall, have garnered millions of views across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X.
One particularly viral video, initially shared by the X account “Wall Street Apes,” portrayed Venezuelan citizens expressing joy and gratitude towards the U.S. and then-President Donald Trump. This video, which garnered over 5.6 million views and significant resharing, was later flagged by X’s community note feature as AI-generated and intended to mislead. Fact-checkers from BBC and AFP traced the earliest known version of this clip to the TikTok account @curiousmindusa, which is known for posting AI-generated content.
The spread of fabricated visuals extended beyond celebration videos. Even before the release of an authentic image of Maduro in U.S. custody, AI-generated images depicting this scenario were circulating widely. Maduro was reportedly captured on January 3, 2026, following coordinated U.S. airstrikes and ground operations, an event that quickly became a dominant global news story.
Beyond AI-generated videos, the AFP fact-checking team also identified other forms of misleading content related to Maduro’s ousting, including footage of celebrations in Chile falsely presented as scenes from Venezuela. While misinformation surrounding major news events is not a new phenomenon, the scale and sophistication of AI-generated content in the Venezuelan context highlight a significant advancement in the tools used for deceptive purposes.
Platforms like Sora and Midjourney have democratized the creation of hyper-realistic video content, making it increasingly challenging to distinguish genuine footage from fabricated material, especially during fast-paced breaking news events. The creators of such content often aim to promote specific political narratives or sow confusion among global audiences. This trend echoes earlier instances, such as AI-generated videos of SNAP beneficiaries during a government shutdown, one of which was mistakenly presented as factual by Fox News before being retracted.
In response to these growing concerns, social media companies are facing mounting pressure to enhance their efforts in identifying and labeling potentially misleading AI-generated content. Globally, regulatory bodies are taking action. India’s government proposed legislation mandating the labeling of AI-generated content, while Spain approved substantial fines for the distribution of unlabeled AI materials. Major platforms, including TikTok and Meta, have introduced AI detection and labeling tools, although their effectiveness remains mixed. X, for instance, primarily relies on its community notes feature, a system that critics argue is often too slow to prevent the rapid spread of AI-driven misinformation.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram and Threads, acknowledged the evolving challenge. He noted that while platforms will improve in identifying AI content, AI’s ability to imitate reality will also advance, creating an ongoing arms race. Mosseri suggested that focusing on “fingerprinting real media” might prove more practical than solely trying to detect fake media.
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