ROME: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed concern over fake images of her generated by artificial intelligence that have been circulating online.

These images, created by political opponents, pose a risk of deceiving the public and targeting vulnerable individuals.

Meloni commented on the matter in a statement, revealing that several fake photos of herself had been produced using AI technology.

One such image, which appeared to depict her sitting on a bed wearing underwear, was shared online with outraged reactions condemning it as unbefitting of an Italian prime minister.

In response to this incident, Meloni acknowledged that while the creation of these deepfake images has improved her representation, the issue extends beyond her personal defense.

She emphasized the dangerous potential of deepfakes in deceiving and manipulating others, highlighting that not everyone is able to defend themselves against such tactics.

To combat the spread of misinformation, Meloni urged individuals to verify the authenticity of online content before sharing it with others.

She advocated for a principle where people should "verify before believing" and "think before sharing".

In 2024, Meloni filed a libel suit against an individual from Sardinia accused of creating deepfake pornographic images using her face and posting them online.

This legal case remains ongoing.