How we turned the AI Act into five human stories about deepfakes for the European Parliament.
European Parliament is the directly elected body of the European Union that represents its citizens. Together with the Council of the European Union, it participates in adopting and amending European legislation, decides on the EU budget , while oversees the work of other European institutions.
Alongside its decision-making role, communicating with the public is also an important part of its work. European issues , while legislation often affect people’s everyday lives, even though they may initially seem distant or overly complex.
How do you explain the AI Act without complex legal jargon?
The European Parliament approached us with the aim of helping the public understand deepfake content and the rules introduced in this area by the EU AI Act.
The AI Act is an EU regulation that sets out rules for the development and use of artificial intelligence according to the level of risk it poses. Its aim is to promote the safe and trustworthy use of AI while protecting people’s rights. It also includes transparency requirements for content created or modified using artificial intelligence, including deepfake videos, images , while audio recordings.
The AI Act itself is important, but also relatively complex. Without a specific context, concepts such as transparency, labelling AI-generated content, or responsibility when using artificial intelligence can feel distant and are unlikely to hold people’s attention on social media on their own.
Our task was therefore not simply to turn legislative information into a short video. We needed to create content that would capture viewers’ attention within the first few seconds, clearly demonstrate the real-world impact of the misuse of generative AI , and then explain, why such rules are necessary.
At the same time, we were working with sensitive topics that can affect a person’s relationships, privacy, professional reputation and personal safety . The resulting content therefore needed to be powerful , while emotional, but also to credible, respectful , while free from unnecessary fearmongering.
Creative solution.
We didn’t start with legislation. We started with a person. People may not remember a specific article of law, but they will remember the moment someone loses control of their own voice, face, or identity.
We therefore built the entire creative concept around real human stories. Rather than explaining the individual rules of the AI Act, we first showed, the impact that the misuse of generative artificial intelligence can have on everyday life.
This resulted in four dramatised testimonials inspired by real cases. Each explores a different form of AI misuse, from voice cloning and sexualised deepfakes to fake profiles and identity theft used to commit fraud.
Each video begins with a believable situation. The viewer hears a compromising voice message, sees an intimate image, or watches someone being linked to an online scam. Only then comes the crucial reveal: the person on camera never said, recorded, or did any of it.
What appeared to be conclusive evidence had actually been created by artificial intelligence. The individual stories are then connected by Svatopluk Barek, who places their impact in a broader context and clearly explains why rules governing the labelling and use of AI-generated content are being introduced.
Svatopluk Barek as a guide to the topic.
The four stories showed the impact that the misuse of generative artificial intelligence can have on real people. To connect their experiences with the broader technological and legislative context, we needed a guide who both understands the subject and can explain it in the language of social media.
We therefore brought Svatopluk Barekinto the project. He has long focused on social issues, politics , while making artificial intelligence accessible to wider audiences. Through #GeneraceAI he also brings together experts, creators, and education.
His role was not simply to become a recognisable face of the campaign. At the end of each story, he helped viewers understand that deepfakes are not merely a technological curiosity or a distant threat, but an issue that can already affect people’s relationships, privacy, reputation, and safety.
In a separate fifth video, he then connected the individual stories to the EU AI Act and explained why rules are being introduced to make the use of generative artificial intelligence more transparent and responsible.
A mysterious atmosphere that supports the story.
We chose not to present the series as a collection of traditional educational videos. Instead, we placed each story in a dark, intimate setting, reminiscent of a personal confession, building tension from the very first seconds.
The characters speak directly to the camera and gradually reveal what happened to them. Fabricated voice messages, profiles, conversations, and reconstructed deepfake content also play an important role in the videos. This allows viewers to see not only the person’s reaction, but also the digital “evidence” that those around them believed.
The entire format was designed specifically for social media. We used a strong opening hook, vertical framing , while gradual reveal of the central message so that each story could work without a lengthy introduction.
At the same time, we took care to handle the subject sensitively. The aim was not to overdramatise the victims’ stories or use them merely for shock value. Emotion helped viewers understand the seriousness of each situation, while the factual explanation provided the necessary context.
Conclusion.
The series presented the AI Act through situations in which any of us could be at risk. A voice, face, or digital identity can become a tool for manipulation in a matter of moments.
This gave the complex European regulation a tangible meaning. Not as a set of distant rules, but as a response to technology that can already affect our reputation, relationships, and trust in what we see and hear.
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