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AI-generated deepfake videos used to promote Burkina Faso junta leader
Deepfake videos using artificially altered faces and voices of celebrities have been created to praise Burkina Faso's junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore and spread his personality cult on social media. Analysts described the campaign as a disinformation effort aimed at extending Traore's political influence to neighbouring countries in the region.
May 2025 · Captain Ibrahim Traore · Misinformation and synthetic media
AI-generated videos featuring deepfake versions of celebrities including R. Kelly, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and Pope Leo XIV have been created praising Captain Ibrahim Traore, Burkina Faso's junta leader. A video attributed to R. Kelly, featuring artificially generated lyrics, was viewed more than two million times since it came out in May.
The videos have been widely shared on west African social media. Analysts described the campaign as a vast disinformation effort aimed at spreading Traore's personality cult and extending it to neighbouring English-speaking countries in the region.
Reported impact
The videos were part of influence and disinformation campaigns that experts said aimed at extending the personality cult surrounding Captain Traore to Burkina Faso's English-speaking neighbours.