US State Dept sounds alarm following hoaxer using AI to impersonate Rubio

(MENAFN) The U.S. State Department is on high alert after an individual used artificial intelligence to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a recent hoax. According to reports from multiple media outlets, the impersonator attempted to deceive U.S. and foreign officials by sending AI-generated voice and text messages that closely mimicked Rubio’s voice and writing style.

The messages, which began circulating in mid-June, were sent through the encrypted messaging app Signal. The hoaxer reportedly used a fake email address, “...,” and targeted at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator, and a state governor.

A U.S. official told the Associated Press that the impersonation attempt was unsophisticated and ultimately failed. Still, the State Department issued a memo cautioning embassies that while the campaign posed no direct cyber threat, any information shared by compromised individuals could be at risk.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce confirmed the incident on Tuesday and said the department is actively monitoring and responding to the matter. She emphasized that the agency takes cybersecurity seriously and is continuously working to strengthen its defenses.

This incident follows a broader warning issued by the FBI in May, cautioning that malicious actors are increasingly using AI-generated voice technology to impersonate high-ranking U.S. officials. That warning came after someone hacked White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ phone, using it to send fake messages and calls to her contacts.

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