Netanyahu's coffee shop video AI-generated? Grok's deepfake claim sparks buzz

After rumours of his death in an Iranian attack circulated on the internet, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video of him sipping coffee at a cafe, suggesting that he was alive and safe.

Referring to the false reports about his death, he quipped, "I am dead for coffee," using a common Hebrew expression that means loving something very much. He also expressed his love for Israel, praising how Israelis have been conducting themselves during the ongoing war with Iran.

However, instead of putting an end to rumours, the video has triggered another wave of speculation about Netanyahu's fate. Several users on 'X' (formerly Twitter) have claimed that the video posted on 'X' was an AI-generated deepfake.

In fact, Grok, the AI assistant on the microblogging platform, too called it a 'satire' video. The AI assistant also gave several instances in the video that pointed to it being fake: Static coffee level and unnatural lip sync.

Jackson Hinkle, who is known for his anti-Israel conspiracy theories, also pointed to the unnatural movements of his pocket in the video. Responding to his post, another user posted a video showing the moment when Netanyahu puts his left hand inside the pocket.

Some users also attached screenshots and clips of his coffee cup, which purportedly shows his coffee "defying gravity" and not spilling. Some also pointed out that Netanyahu has a dominant left hand while the video shows him drinking his coffee with the right hand.

'X' users also found two more alleged oddities in the video. One user, who goes by the name 'Flashpoint OSINT', highlighted brown traces appearing on Netanyahu's lips after he sips his coffee. But the traces disappear in the next frame, according to the 'X' post.

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