MicroStrategy founder and chairman Michael Saylor once again addressed the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes featuring him. He revealed that his team is now working to take down these videos aimed at Bitcoin (BTC) holders.
Michael Saylor AI Deepfakes
During the Christmas season, we reported a video circulating on YouTube featuring Saylor who was encouraging viewers to double their Bitcoin holdings by following the “easy steps” he enumerated. It included scanning a QR code to proceed with the transaction.
Something was definitely off in the presentation though, because the lip movements of Saylor’s likeness appeared to be unnatural. His head and eye motions seemed to be in a loop, too, while his head looked like it had been wedged in a static body.
The video was eventually taken down after a few days. We don’t know the number of people who have fallen victim to the bait, but it should be noted that it was not an isolated incident.
The MicroStrategy Chair’s Official Statement
According to the recent post of Saylor via the X platform, his team has been working tirelessly to take down these AI deepfakes that have been looking to scam Bitcoin holders. He said his group removes around 80 of these daily on YouTube. However, these weren’t enough to deter the scammers from producing more.
Saylor cleared out that there is no risk-free way of doubling anyone’s Bitcoin. He added that MicroStrategy is not giving away BTC to anyone who simply scans a barcode from a video. The Bitcoin advocate advised people not to trust just about anything they see online and that they should exercise due diligence in verifying ads that may affect their finances.
In response to these, some people urged Saylor to hold YouTube accountable for its failure to abide by its own terms and conditions. Meanwhile, others harshly commented that those who easily fall prey to these deepfakes probably deserve what’s coming to them so they can learn their lesson.
MicroStrategy and Michael Saylor’s Influence on Bitcoin Community
Saylor is easily the best subject for scams involving Bitcoin because of his strong influence in the tech industry and strong support for the digital asset itself. One does not have to go too far to find out his strong conviction in Bitcoin because it just takes checking out his X account to see that most of his recent posts have been all about the cryptocurrency.
MicroStrategy’s aggressive Bitcoin acquisition further reflects how Saylor and his company are super bullish about it. Based on its latest disclosure, the tech firm already holds a sum of 189,150 BTC after adding 14,620 BTC to its coffers on December 27, 2023.
The overall Bitcoin purchases of the company now lie at $5.9 billion at an average price of $31,168 per BTC. At current prices of $42,700 as of this writing, this equates to $8.076 billion.