AI meme wars hit India election campaign, testing social platforms

Bengaluru, India – On February 20, India's chief opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC), uploaded a video parodying Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Instagram that has amassed over 1.5 million views. It is a short clip from a new Hindi music album named "Chor" (thief), where Modi's digital likeness is grafted onto the lead singer. The song's lyrics were humorously reworked to describe a thief's – in this case, a business tycoon's – attempt to steal, and Modi handing over coal mines, ports, power lines and ultimately, the country. The video isn't hyperrealistic, but a pithy AI meme that uses Modi's voice and face clones, to drive home the nagging criticism of his close ties to Indian business moguls. That same day, the official Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) handle on Instagram, with over seven million followers, uploaded its own video.