{
  "id": 8220850,
  "title": "Russia shares AI-generated Putin selfie as use of artificial content spreads among Europe's politicians",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/russia-shares-ai-generated-putin-selfie-as-use-of-artificial-content",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-18T09:41:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/09/18/russia-shares-ai-generated-putin-selfie-as-use-of-artificial-content-spreads-among-europes"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On September 12 and 13, the 18th BRICS Summit took place in New Delhi, India, uniting leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The Russian embassy in South Africa recently shared a picture on social media resembling the leaders' group selfie, garnering over 2 million views. However, the image is not authentic—the official website of the summit did not publish it, and fact-checking teams such as Euronews' The Cube have confirmed it as AI-generated, complete with an OpenAI SynthID watermark. The AI-generated image shows Putin alongside the 10 BRICS leaders, emphasizing a theme of \"Stronger together for a brighter tomorrow.\" The Russian embassy in South Africa has not disclosed the photo's AI origin, contributing to the growing issue of politicians disseminating AI-generated content without labeling it. This trend is not limited to Europe; US President Donald Trump has increasingly employed AI-generated visuals in his communications. The consequences of this practice are significant, as highlighted by a 2026 study from the European non-profit AI Forensics. The research revealed that AI is increasingly used in stylized, cartoonish imagery to reinforce campaign messages, particularly among right and far-right parties. Alarmingly, the lack of disclosure in such content could jeopardize public trust in the electoral process. Since August 2023, the EU's AI Act mandates the clear identification of realistic AI-generated or manipulated material, including deepfakes and text intended to inform the public on matters of public interest.",
  "summary": "The Russian embassy in South Africa recently shared an AI-generated image of BRICS leaders. It's part of a growing trend of public figures and institutions using AI in their communication, which researchers say can undermine public trust.",
  "key_points": [
    "Russian embassy shared AI-generated selfie of BRICS leaders on social media.",
    "Image shows Putin with 10 BRICS leaders, promoting unity theme.",
    "Lack of disclosure may undermine public trust in electoral process."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}