Taiwan officials debate AI deepfake misuse after mayor and legislator expose fabricated voices

Taipei Mayor Huang Wei‑che presented three AI‑generated audio clips that mimicked KMT lawmaker Jiang Wan‑an, accusing the lawmaker of endorsing illegal deepfake technology and calling for police and prosecutorial investigation. The mayor argued that using another person's voice without consent should be treated as a criminal act, not as protected speech.

In a separate incident, KMT legislator Qiu Zhen‑jun showed a deepfake video that appeared to feature President Lai Ching‑te speaking, during a questioning of Health Minister Shi Chong‑liang. The legislator condemned the production as illegal and malicious, urging authorities to crack down on the technology. Both events sparked calls for clearer regulations and enforcement against AI‑generated false audio and video in Taiwan's political sphere.