An unknown individual has used artificial intelligence to impersonate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, contacting several foreign ministers and other officials via WhatsApp, the US State Department has revealed. The incident, described as a cybersecurity breach, is currently under investigation.
According to a State Department cable dated 10 July, obtained by the BBC News, the impersonator created a fake WhatsApp account in mid-May with the display name marco.rubio@state.gov.uk. The account was used to contact at least five individuals, including three foreign ministers, a US diplomat, and a member of Parliament. The perpetrator left AI-generated voicemails for at least two targets individuals and sent a text message inviting one recipient to communicate further on WhatsApp.
The cable, reported by BBC News, noted that the impersonation posed no direct cyber threat to the department but warned that information shared with the third party could be compromised if targeted individuals are were deceived. The State Department has not disclosed the identities of those targeted or the content of the AI-generated messages.
The incident, first reported by the BBC News on Monday, has prompted the State Department to bolster its cybersecurity measures to prevent future breaches. US authorities suspect the impersonator aimed to manipulate officials to gain access to sensitive information, though the attempt was described by a US official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, as “not very sophisticated” and ultimately unsuccessful.
Secretary of State Rubio has not yet commented publicly on the matter.
This is not the first instance of AI being used to impersonate US politicians. Last year, a fake robocall mimicking former President Joe Biden urged voters to boycott the New Hampshire primary election, prompting officials to investigate what was described as an “unlawful attempt to disrupt” the 2024 election.
The rise of AI-driven impersonations has raised concerns about cybersecurity and the potential for such technology to manipulate public officials or elections.
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