Burkinabe Teen Expresses “No Regrets” Over Viral AI-Generated

New Delhi, December 20, 2025: A global digital storm was triggered in December 2025 after a 17-year-old from Burkina Faso utilized artificial intelligence to broadcast a fabricated “coup d’état” in France. The video, which depicted an unidentified colonel taking power in Paris, was viewed over 12 million times across TikTok and Facebook. Despite drawing direct criticism from French President Emmanuel Macron, the young creator has stated in recent interviews that he has “no regrets” about the chaos caused by his synthetic content.

The Mechanics of a Fake Revolution

The controversial footage was produced using advanced AI tools following the teenager’s self-training through online YouTube courses. In the clip, what appeared to be professional journalists were observed reporting on a military takeover, with the Eiffel Tower and flashing police lights visible in the background.

Also Read: Air India’s Gift Drop at Mumbai Baggage Belt Goes Viral

Presidential Frustration and Global Notoriety

The impact of the video reached the highest levels of the French government. During a visit to Marseille, President Emmanuel Macron expressed his frustration over the inability to have the content immediately removed. It was reported that Meta (Facebook) initially declined to take down the video, stating that it did not violate their specific rules on synthetic media at the time.

Motivation: Profit Over Politics

While the video took a “passing shot” at France, the teenager clarified that his primary motivation was financial independence. He admitted that he had been searching for a way to monetize social media traffic from his home in Burkina Faso.

As the debate over AI-generated fake news continues to intensify, this incident serves as a stark reminder of how a single individual with basic digital tools can influence global discourse. The Burkinabe teen remains a symbol of a new era where the line between digital experimentation and geopolitical provocation is increasingly blurred.