In recent weeks, social media has been flooded with videos allegedly recorded in Cuba that display striking scenes or political rumors.
However, many of those materials are not real: they were created with Sora, an artificial intelligence developed by OpenAI, the same company behind ChatGPT.
Sora allows you to create complete videos from a simple written description, without the need for cameras, actors, or real settings. The result is digital scenes featuring people, places, and sounds so realistic that they can be mistaken for genuine recordings.
Its second version, Sora 2, has significantly improved the realism of movements, shadows, and object physics. It also incorporates synchronized audio and the ability to add voices, sound effects, and even real faces and voices through a feature called Cameos.
OpenAI asserts that Sora 2 is still in the testing phase and available only in the United States and Canada, but other similar tools are already circulating online.
In Cuba, pages and profiles such as Periódico Patria 1892 have shared videos generated with this technology, which have contributed to the spread of false rumors.
The most striking case of false information was about the alleged death of Raúl Castro. It began on September 22 on the Ignacio Giménez Cuba page and was replicated by Periódico Patria 1892 without verifiable evidence. A parody account of CiberCuba amplified the misinformation with a manipulated graphic. The false hospitalization escalated to the point of an alleged death that went viral.
Experts warn that this type of content can be used to manipulate public opinion and create false political narratives.
How to identify a fake video generated by artificial intelligence
- Unnatural movements or gestures.
- Shadows or reflections that do not match.
- Strange textures in hands, eyes, or backgrounds.
- Artificial voices or inaccurate lip sync.
- In the case of Sora, its logo must appear, but there are new tools to remove it.
- Lack of reliable sources or means to confirm the fact.
Sharing false content only undermines the credibility of those seeking real change in Cuba. The truth is enough to reveal the extent of the crisis that Cuba is experiencing. Hunger, blackouts, collapses, repression, and exodus do not need to be invented. Cubans suffer from them daily, with verifiable facts.
Spreading news or manipulated videos provides the regime with arguments to discredit those who speak out against it. That is why the commitment must always be to the truth. In a country where the official lie has been the norm for more than six decades, transparency and veracity are the most powerful weapons to unmask those in power and hasten their downfall.
Amid the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence, gathering information from verified sources and cross-checking the sources is more important than ever.
Filed under:
