An alarming incident has uncovered a growing and sophisticated threat in global politics: AI impersonation. An unknown scammer successfully used AI to imitate the voice and writing style of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, targeting at least five senior officials, including three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a member of Congress. This scam, involving fake voice messages and texts sent via Signal, aimed to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or accounts, highlighting the rising danger of AI misuse in high-stakes environments.
The State Department confirmed an ongoing investigation, noting that the impostor created the account in mid-June. Similar activity was noted in May, when other senior US officials, including White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, were impersonated. The rapid rise and increasing frequency of such AI-driven scams reveal a critical vulnerability in digital communications and national security, demanding urgent and strong protective measures from governments worldwide.
Prominent figures, such as David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to Barack Obama, have expressed serious concerns, stating that such AI scams were "only a matter of time." Axelrod highlighted the profound implications for democracy and global stability, urging immediate action to counter these advanced attacks. This incident is a stark warning about the changing landscape of cyber threats, where AI capabilities are being weaponized to erode trust, steal sensitive data, and potentially disrupt political processes on a global scale, posing as Marco Rubio targets officials in a growing threat.
The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/08/marco-rubio-ai-impostor
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