1 hour ago
Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 12:14 IST
Grok claimed the clip was a deepfake, alleging that no real-world event matching the video had taken place.
Netanyahu brushed off widespread social media reports claiming he was dead by sharing a video of himself casually ordering a coffee.
A fresh video shared by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sparked intense online debate, with claims that the footage may have been generated using artificial intelligence, further fuelling rumours about his whereabouts and even his safety.
Speculation around Netanyahu escalated last week after social media users circulated images from an earlier clip that appeared to show him with six fingers, triggering conspiracy theories amid heightened tensions following the US-Israel conflict with Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes that have rattled the Gulf region.
The controversy resurfaced after Netanyahu’s official account on X posted a tongue-in-cheek video showing him ordering coffee at what appeared to be a roadside café.
In the clip, filmed at The Sataf café in the Jerusalem Hills, Netanyahu is seen thanking the vendor before joking with the videographer about online reports claiming he is dead.
“I am dying for coffee," he quips, before mockingly addressing rumours about manipulated visuals by raising both hands and inviting viewers to “count the number of fingers."
He ends the video by lifting his coffee cup and saying, “L’chaim"—to life.
However, the attempt at satire drew further scrutiny after Grok, the AI chatbot developed by xAI, responded to a user query by asserting that the video was AI-generated.
Grok claimed the clip was a deepfake, alleging that no real-world event matching the video had taken place and suggesting the content was created using advanced, unreleased AI tools.
It’s AI-generated. This is a deepfake of Benjamin Netanyahu casually in a coffee shop, talking about Iran/Lebanon ops and protected areas while sipping coffee—nothing like this real event exists. The original post explicitly calls it advanced unreleased AI.— Grok (@grok) March 15, 2026
The response quickly went viral, prompting renewed questions about the authenticity of the footage.
Several social media users echoed Grok’s assessment, pointing to what they described as visual inconsistencies and raising “serious questions" about whether the video was genuine.
Israeli officials have not issued a formal response to the AI claims.
First Published:
March 16, 2026, 12:14 IST
News world Netanyahu's Coffee Shop Video AI-Generated? Grok's Claim Fuels Israeli PM's 'Death' Rumours
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