Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has condemned the circulation of AI-generated deepfake images of her, including one depicting her in lingerie, which were widely shared online. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Meloni described the images as fake and warned of the dangers of artificial intelligence.
Meloni joked that the creator had 'improved my appearance quite a bit,' but stressed that the incident highlighted a serious issue. 'Deepfakes are a dangerous tool, because they can deceive, manipulate and target anyone,' she wrote, urging people to 'verify before believing, and think before sharing.'
The deepfake image, which showed Meloni apparently dressed in lingerie seated on a bed, prompted a wave of criticism from users who believed it to be genuine. One user wrote, 'That a prime minister should present herself in such a state is truly shameful.'
Meloni's far-right government has made combating AI risks a priority. Last September, Italy became the first EU country to approve a comprehensive law regulating AI, introducing prison terms for creating harmful deepfakes and limiting children's access. The legislation aligns with the EU AI Act.
The law followed a scandal involving a pornographic website that published doctored images of prominent Italian women, including Meloni and opposition leader Elly Schlein. The site, which had over 700,000 subscribers, was shut down by Italian police, and prosecutors in Rome opened an investigation into possible offences including revenge porn and defamation.
