NewsBytes
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    More
    In the news
    Narendra Modi
    Amit Shah
    Box Office Collection
    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
    OTT releases
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    NewsBytes
    User Placeholder

    Hi,

    Logout

    India
    Business
    World
    Politics
    Sports
    Technology
    Entertainment
    Auto
    Lifestyle
    Inspirational
    Career
    Bengaluru
    Delhi
    Mumbai

    Download Android App

    Follow us on
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    Home / News / Technology News / 'I'm real': UK politician debunks rumors of being AI bot
    Summarize
    Next Article
    'I'm real': UK politician debunks rumors of being AI bot
    Rumors arose due to his altered campaign image and absence at election-related events

    'I'm real': UK politician debunks rumors of being AI bot

    By Akash Pandey
    Jul 10, 2024
    04:18 pm

    What's the story

    Mark Matlock, a candidate from the right-wing Reform UK party, has dispelled rumors of being an artificial intelligence (AI) bot.

    In an interview with The Independent, Matlock addressed speculations about his existence triggered by his unusually smooth skin in a campaign image and absence from key events like the election count.

    "I got pneumonia three days before election night... On election night I couldn't even stand," he explained.

    Earlier this week, a thread on X also questioned Matlock's existence.

    Photo controversy

    Matlock addresses AI rumors sparked by edited campaign photo

    Matlock also spoke about the controversy surrounding his campaign photo, which fueled the AI rumors.

    He revealed that the original image had been edited, with the background removed and his tie color altered, resulting in an uncanny look often associated with AI-generated images.

    He cautioned elected officials against editing their pictures in a way that could lead to such confusion.

    Twitter Post

    The post questioning Matlock's existence earlier

    We might be on the verge of a HUGE SCANDAL. Suspicions have been raised that Reform have fielded election candidates that aren’t real people. Is there any evidence that Mark Matlock (candidate for Clapham & Brixton Hill) actually exists? He looks AI generated. pic.twitter.com/0wJcR4HZXG

    — Dr Bella (@Dr_BellaR) July 8, 2024

    AI impact

    AI's growing influence in politics raises concerns

    The 2024 elections are already witnessing the effects of AI tools proliferation.

    While no AI bot has replaced a human politician yet, creating convincingly real deepfakes of politicians is becoming easier.

    A notable incident involved President Joe Biden's voice being cloned to discourage voting.

    In response these incidents, Google announced it will automatically create disclosures for political ads labeled as AI-generated by the advertiser.

    Online transparency

    Candidate's minimal online presence fueled speculation

    The Guardian noted that some Reform UK candidates, including Matlock, provided minimal details about themselves online.

    This lack of information likely contributed to the speculation about Matlock's existence.

    The situation serves as a reminder for future political candidates to maintain a public profile, engage with constituents, attend events, and reduce the amount of photo editing to avoid such confusion.

    Facebook
    Whatsapp
    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Related News
    Latest
    Elections
    Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

    Latest

    Yuzvendra Chahal has dismissed Sanju Samson 5 times in IPL Indian Premier League (IPL)
    Punjab Kings to miss key players against Rajasthan Royals Punjab Kings (PBKS)
    Trump's USAID cuts lead to food wastage for 3.5 million Elon Musk
    Scientists reveal what happens when black holes cross each other Black Hole

    Elections

    Delhi mayor elections stalled for 2nd time following AAP-BJP clash Delhi
    Chris Hipkins sworn in as New Zealand's 41st Prime Minister New Zealand
    Easy to defeat Modi, alternative to 'fascism' needed: Rahul Gandhi  Rahul Gandhi
    I eat beef, party has no problem: Meghalaya BJP chief Meghalaya

    Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

    Amazon investigates AI start-up Perplexity over scraping allegations Amazon
    Microsoft's AI chief defends use of open web content Microsoft
    Tech Mahindra rolls out multilingual AI model 'Project Indus' Tech Mahindra
    Infinix ZeroBook Ultra, with AI capabilities, launched at ₹60,000 Infinix Mobile
    Indian Premier League (IPL) Celebrity Hollywood Bollywood UEFA Champions League Tennis Football Smartphones Cryptocurrency Upcoming Movies Premier League Cricket News Latest automobiles Latest Cars Upcoming Cars Latest Bikes Upcoming Tablets
    About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive Download DevBytes Find Cricket Statistics
    Follow us on
    Facebook Twitter Linkedin
    All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2025