AN ALBANIAN mayor has used a deepfake to make a bizarre AI-video, despite being behind bars.
In an Instagram video, Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj used an AI avatar to make a pledge to his voters, promising free school lunches for children.
The post has sparked confusion, not for its use of AI but because the disgraced Mayor is currently in prison awaiting trial.
The odd footage, which Instagram has labelled as “AI content”, shows a digital likeness of the politician standing in front of Albanian and municipal flags.
The AI-mayor claims he has been “held hostage for 20 months”, while he awaits trial.
He says: “I cannot send this greeting except through artificial intelligence.”
The avatar then goes on to list his achievements in office before repeating his pledge to provide free food in schools.
He adds: “However much they want to keep me away from the city, and from you, Tirana is the honour of my life.
“To repay that honour, I will keep working even from the cell where they have locked me up.”
Veliaj’s words drew instant backlash in Albania, with many likening the strange video to the AI-generated speeches made by other incarcerated politicians,
In July, an AI-generated avatar of Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, was used during his son’s presidential campaign.
Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, made several AI-generated videos, most notably to falsely claim victory in the country’s 2024 general election.
In February 2025, Veliaj was arrested for taking part in a scheme with his wife that took around €1 million in bribes and city funds.
The pair denied all charges against them, which included corruption, money laundering, and hiding assets.
Last month, Albania’s High Court ruled that Veliaj must remain in police custody during the case.
Shockingly, he remains the city’s mayor, despite Tirana’s council voting to remove him from office in 2025.
Albania is also no stranger to AI in politics.
Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella in 2025, the world’s first AI-virtual minister.
The government appointed Diella to the cabinet, tasking her with finding corruption in government projects.
A few months after the announcement, Albanian actress Anila Bisha claimed that her face, voice, and likeness were used to create Diella without her full consent.
She stated that she only agreed to a one-off government chatbot, not a permanent political cabinet role.
Bisha also said she faced harassment and abuse from public backlash to Diella.
The Albanian government dismissed her claims as “nonsense”.
