A criminal probe has been launched after a fake AI-generated audio recording, falsely attributed to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, was circulated online.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has confirmed that a widely shared audio file on the internet, claiming to feature Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, was artificially generated using artificial intelligence technologies.

According to the statement, on June 26, an audio clip titled “Nikol Pashinyan’s special directive to the heads of the NSS and Investigative Committee” was published online. The recording falsely suggests that the Prime Minister was giving specific instructions to the heads of Armenian law enforcement regarding a criminal case. Authorities indicate that the file was fabricated using artificial intelligence by a group of individuals acting in coordination and with intent to produce legal consequences.

Based on a report from the Office of the Prosecutor General, a criminal case has been initiated by the General Department for the Investigation of Particularly Important Cases under Article 364, Part 2, Clause 2 of the Armenian Criminal Code. This article pertains to computer forgery committed by a group in prior agreement.

A preliminary investigation is underway. Investigative and procedural steps are being taken to identify the perpetrators and assess the criminal implications of their actions. The Investigative Committee has urged the public to refrain from using modern technologies to spread computer-generated forgeries and misinformation aimed at misleading the public.

Note: Anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court ruling in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code.