Shaniera Akram, wife of former cricketer Wasim Akram, took to social media to debunk AI-generated videos falsely claiming that her husband had passed away.
Shaniera shared a video of Akram working out at the gym on her Instagram, putting an end to the false claims that he had died of a heart attack. The caption of her video read, “In response to the FAKE news and AI videos circulating, I just took this video for you and as you can see he is in the gym and seems he’s ok!”
Shaniera’s response came after an AI-generated video featuring Akram’s former teammate Shoaib Akhtar had gone viral, showing him announcing Akram’s death. In the clip, the AI-generated Akhtar says, “I regret to inform you that famous cricketer Wasim Akram has died from a heart attack.”
Fans flooded Shaniera’s comments calling out the growing misuse of AI in Pakistan, criticising those creating fake content to generate views and profit.
Many others wished Akram a long, healthy life and praised his dedication to fitness.
The incident followed another recent AI-generated hoax involving actors Tauseeq Haider and Farah Saadia, who were falsely rumoured to have gotten married.
As the use of AI-generated content continues to grow in Pakistan, celebrities have urged the public to be more cautious about the content they consume and share online.