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Grok claimed that the clip was a deepfake and that there were no real-world events that matched the video.
Prime Minister Netanyahu dismissed widespread social media reports that he had died by sharing a video of himself casually ordering a coffee.
A new video shared by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sparked intense debate online, with some claiming the footage may have been generated using artificial intelligence and adding to rumors surrounding his whereabouts and even safety.
Speculation over Netanyahu escalated last week after social media users spread an image of an earlier clip in which Netanyahu appears to be holding up six fingers, sparking conspiracy theories amid heightened tensions following the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict and Iran’s retaliatory attacks that have roiled the Gulf region.
The controversy reignited after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official account posted a tongue-in-cheek video showing him ordering coffee at what appears to be a roadside cafe.
The footage, shot at The Sataf Café in the Jerusalem Hills, shows Netanyahu thanking the vendor and then joking with the videographer about online reports that he had died.
“I’m dying for coffee,” he quipped, then held up his hands and asked viewers to “count your fingers,” mockingly referring to rumors about his doctored visuals.
He ends the video by holding up his coffee cup and saying “L’chaim.”
However, this attempt at satire drew even more scrutiny after xAI’s AI chatbot Grok answered users’ questions and claimed the videos were AI-generated.
Grok claimed the clip was a deepfake, claimed that no real-world events matched the video, and suggested the content was created using advanced, undisclosed AI tools.
It was generated by AI. This is a deepfake of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu casually drinking coffee in a coffee shop and talking about Iran/Lebanon operations and protected areas, which does not exist in real life. The original post explicitly refers to this as Advanced Unreleased AI. — Grok (@grok) March 15, 2026
The reaction quickly went viral, raising new questions about the authenticity of the footage.
Some social media users echoed Grok’s assessment, pointing out visual discrepancies and raising “serious questions” about whether the video was authentic.
Israeli authorities have not issued a formal response to AI’s claims.
March 16, 2026, 12:14 IST
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