AI travel videos are becoming very real, people are falling on fake attractions

The Malaysian couple recently found themselves at the heart of AI hoaxes. After seeing what appeared to be a professionally produced travel video, the elderly couple drove over 230 miles from Kuala Lumpur to the small town of Pera, discovering that the entire charm was manufactured by artificial intelligence. In the clip, a reporter generated by realistic AI introduced Kuak Skyride, a scenic cable car ride that is said to exist in the town of Kuak Full. The footage showed a lush mountain view, so-called interviews with tourists, and even a gorgeous dining experience overlooking the scenery. This segment ended with a visit to the Deer Petting Zoo. The entire video is displayed authentically and is complete with narration and persuasive visuals that appear to have been created using Google's VEO 3 model.

According to local media including Metro and South China Morning Post, the couple checked into a hotel in the Penkaranhuru district on June 30th and asked about the cable car ride. Hotel employees recounted the moment they realised that there was no appeal.

– @dyaaaaaa._, hotel employee, via thread

The woman was reportedly upset and said she was planning to suicidal the journalist featured in the video. However, hotel employees had to break the news. Reporters were also generated by AI. “Why does someone want to lie?” the woman replied. “There was even a reporter (on the video).”

This was not an isolated incident. Another social media user reported that their parents spent RM 9,000 (approximately $2,120 USD) to rent a van for the same trip. Reports say the video went viral across Malaysian social platforms and then ultimately falls over due to public repulsion.

This situation raises important questions about the growing realism of AI-generated video content. If an ordinary traveler could be misled by video that appears indistinguishable from the actual footage, what does that mean for digital media in the future?

Such cases show that while generating video tools can be powerful for creativity, they also introduce risks regarding misinformation, especially if the audience doesn't know how compelling the synthetic content is. Personally, I think as these tools become more accessible, better labeling, regulation or education will be needed to help viewers distinguish between real and fake.