London mayor Sadiq Khan has said faked AI-generated audio of him supposedly making inflammatory remarks before Armistice Day nearly caused serious disorder.
Mr Khan criticised the law surrounding AI-generated misinformation, saying the creator of the clip “got away with it”.
One social media user who played an early part in sharing the clip told the BBC he regretted it, saying “I made a big mistake.”
The clip appeared to show Mr Khan saying that pro-Palestinian marches taking place on Armistice Day should be prioritised, and disparaging Armistice Day celebrations.
In the faked recording, the voice said: “What’s important and paramount is the one-million-man Palestinian march takes place on Saturday.”
It added: “I control the Met Police, they will do as the Mayor of London tells them” and saying “the British public need to get a grip”.
Mr Khan told BBC Radio 4's Why Do You Hate Me? Podcast that it could have sparked “serious disorder,” saying the faked voice did sound like his own.
The clip was widely shared among far-right groups, and triggered a spike in hateful comments against the mayor on social media.
“When you've got friends and family who see this stuff, it's deeply upsetting. I mean, I've got two daughters, a wife, I've got, you know, siblings. I've got a mum," Mr Khan added.
“The timing couldn’t have been better if you’re seeking to sow disharmony and cause problems.
“What was being said was a red rag to a bull for the far right and others. But what concerned me the most was if you’re an innocent listener of this.
“Because it’s a secret undercover recording, in inverted commas, because it sounds like me, because of the timing and the context.”
Both Armistice Day commemorations and a pro-Palestinian march were held on Saturday, November 11, with the pro-Palestine demonstrators holding their protest hours after the two minutes’ silence.
Warnings have previously been issued about the threat AI-generated misinformation could have in democracies.
Other politicians previously targeted with AI deepfakes include Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, whose voice was mimicked in a faked video last year appearing to abuse party staffers.
