Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned the circulation of fake AI-generated images of herself, describing deepfakes as a “dangerous tool” capable of deceiving, manipulating, and targeting individuals.
Meloni shared one of the fabricated images on her social media accounts on Tuesday, showing her in what she described as sexually explicit and manipulated content that had recently been circulating online. The prime minister used the post to highlight the broader risks posed by artificial intelligence-generated misinformation.
“I have to admit that whoever created them, at least in the case attached, has actually made me look a lot better,” she wrote, adding that deepfakes can harm anyone, though she is in a position to defend herself while many others are not.
She urged the public to verify content before believing or sharing it, warning that “today it’s happening to me; tomorrow it could happen to anyone.”
The post also included a comment from a social media user who appeared to have been misled by the manipulated image and criticised the prime minister based on its content.
This is not the first instance of such material targeting Meloni. Similar AI-generated and sexually explicit fake images of her have surfaced previously, including cases involving other prominent women that were circulated on pornographic platforms.
In response to growing concerns, Italy has already introduced legislation criminalising the use of deepfakes that cause “unjust harm” to individuals depicted in such content. In 2024, Meloni also initiated legal action against two individuals accused of producing and distributing fake videos of her on an overseas pornographic website.
The rise of AI-generated deepfake content has increasingly raised concerns globally, with female politicians and public figures among the most frequently targeted.