Recently, a lot of news has been spreading on social media about the alleged assassination of former US President Joe Biden. There are even claims that the current president, Donald Trump, stated that Biden died in 2020, though this remains unverified. In some versions of this claim, Trump suggests that Biden was killed, but without specifying who was responsible.
The question is not whether Biden is alive or dead. If he had died, why would the world be unaware? He was the President of one of the most powerful nations. If such an event had occurred, who has been ruling the country in the years since? Some netizens even argue, with supposed “proof,” that the United States has been run by a robot. Of course, we know that, as of now, a robot cannot assassinate a head of state and take over power. If Biden is alive, then this news is clearly false. Interestingly, why hasn’t he come forward to clarify? At the very least, his family members could address these rumors.
On another subject, there is ongoing tension involving Israel, the United States, and Iran. Recently, claims circulated that Iran attacked the office of Israel’s Prime Minister and killed a major war figure within seconds. However, Israel denied this. Following the incident, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reportedly absent from public appearances. Initially, many dismissed the claims. Later, to prove he was alive, Israel released a video showing Netanyahu having coffee at a café in Jerusalem with colleagues.
However, social media users began claiming that the video was a deepfake created using AI. They pointed out inconsistencies, such as the coffee appearing unchanged even after he sipped, or unusual visual details like finger count variations. Some videos showed a ring, while others did not. In response, Israel released another video and an additional message on X, wishing Iran a New Year greeting. But this too raised questions, as the message appeared to be outdated and did not address the current situation. Rumors then spread that Netanyahu had been injured or had traveled to Greece for treatment, especially after reports of his private jet being seen there.
All these incidents point toward a concerning possibility about our future. They suggest that we may be losing control over what is real and what is not. If AI-generated content can convincingly imitate leaders, it raises serious concerns about the manipulation of public perception. It is not necessarily that AI itself is gaining unchecked power, but rather that power may be concentrating in the hands of those who control such technologies.
Imagine a scenario where leaders could be replaced by controlled figures, while real decisions are made behind the scenes. Even in authoritarian systems, leaders are visible to some extent. But in a system controlled invisibly, accountability may disappear entirely. In such a situation, who would be the real victims? Perhaps it is us — people who have unknowingly surrendered too much control to technology.
Today, we cannot always be certain who is truly in power or whether information presented to us is authentic. This erosion of trust may be one of the most dangerous developments of our time.
Looking ahead, it is possible that democratic systems could be undermined without people even realizing it. Leadership could be manipulated, replaced, or controlled in ways that remain hidden from public view. Decisions about our lives — our choices, preferences, and even beliefs — could be influenced or shaped by unseen forces.
Returning to the original point, perhaps both Biden and Netanyahu are alive. But the larger concern is this: we are entering an era where it is increasingly difficult to know what is real.
Deepfake technology has reached a level where it can create highly convincing illusions. We may believe them, question them, or debate them — yet still remain uncertain.
In this age of confusion, trust itself is slowly disappearing. And perhaps, learning to question what we see may be our only way forward.
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