- Almost 100,000 people watched a fabricated live stream believing it to be real
- YouTube’s algorithm boosted a fraudulent event over Nvidia’s verified broadcast
- Viewers were invited to scan a QR code for a crypto giveaway
In a stark reminder of how easily digital manipulation can spread, a fake Nvidia GTC keynote featuring an AI-generated version of Jensen Huang attracted close to 100,000 viewers on YouTube.
The fraudulent live stream promoted a supposed “crypto mass adoption event” and was hosted by a random channel named Offxbeatz.
However, it appeared under the title “Nvidia Live”, making it look official to unsuspecting users.
How the fake keynote overtook the real one
First spotted by tech journalist Dylan Martin, the real Nvidia GTC DC keynote was just getting started when the fake broadcast rose to the top of YouTube search results.
When Huang began speaking at the legitimate event, only about 12,000 people tuned in, compared to nearly 95,000 who followed the fabricated stream.
The AI-generated “Jensen” greeted the crowd and promised an exclusive cryptocurrency announcement that fit with Nvidia’s supposed “mission to accelerate human progress.”
What followed was a scripted narrative praising Nvidia GPUs for powering blockchain networks and digital payments.
The entire setup ended with a QR code inviting viewers to participate in a crypto distribution scheme, a textbook example of an online financial scam.
Despite the slick presentation, several signs made the deception quite obvious.
Deepfake’s speech patterns were a bit unnatural, and the exaggerated claims of cryptocurrency adoption should have raised suspicion among careful viewers.
Still, tens of thousands of people kept watching, showing how easily powerful images can overcome basic skepticism.
YouTube eventually removed the stream, but its brief success shows how algorithmic promotion can elevate fraudulent content above verified sources.
The video, described as a product of modern artificial intelligence trickery, was convincing enough to mislead thousands of viewers looking for the event.
It shows how deepfake technology has surpassed many platforms’ current moderation systems.
Without stronger verification methods, such synthetic imitations are likely to continue to proliferate.
Traditional cybersecurity measures, such as anti-virus software and firewalls, remain essential for device-level protection.
Unfortunately, they offer little defense against large-scale manipulation that relies on real-time social manipulation and deception.
Therefore, platforms need to invest in better identity verification tools that can authenticate live streams before they go public.
In addition to platform responsibility, users also need stronger skepticism when engaging in online events, especially those involving cryptocurrency transactions.
At the time of writing, there is no evidence that anyone has lost money to the scheme.
Still, the incident shows that a large number of viewers does not guarantee authenticity.
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