AI recreated a Ukrainian actress in a White House video: IMI experts sound the alarm
26 June 13:59
The US White House has been in the spotlight after the publication of an Instagram video featuring a woman who looks remarkably like Ukrainian actress Antonina Khyzhnyak. Experts from the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) drew attention to a characteristic mole on her cheek, which coincides with the appearance of the actress, known for her role as Motri in the TV series “To Catch a Kaidash,” "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
This case has raised serious concerns among IMI experts about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the ethical limits of its application.
The analysts conducted a preliminary analysis of the video and stated that the Ukrainian actress’s appearance may have been used without her consent.
Video about tax reform with a “Ukrainian face”
on June 26, 2025, the White House published a video on its Instagram account dedicated to a new bill by the administration of US President Donald Trump to abolish taxes on overtime pay. The post reads:
“Time. Endurance. Reward. President Trump’s plan eliminates the taxation of overtime pay, saving employees thousands of hard-earned dollars. “The ‘One Big Beautiful Act’ respects hard work. Vote for this law. Let’s make hard work profitable again.”
However, it was not only the essence of the bill that attracted the attention of experts, but also the person who appeared in the video. The woman depicted in the video bears a striking resemblance to Antonina Khyzhnyak, which raised suspicions that AI was used to create this content.
In particular, the characteristic mole on her cheek is visible in both the video and photos of the actress.
AI and the digital footprint
IMI director Oksana Romaniuk suggested that the AI models used to create the video could have been trained on Antonina Khyzhniak’s publicly available photos.
“But then it means that any real person who has a digital footprint can be recreated in a fictional context. And their image can be used in advertising, political or government communications without their consent. So far, we have no idea what to do about it, but this case should attract the attention of AI experts and diplomatic missions, and highlight the issue of the lack of transparency of AI-generated content,” Romaniuk said.
Reaction and consequences
The Institute of Mass Information asked Antonina Khyzhnyak for a comment to find out her position on the possible use of her image.
The actress’s response is currently awaited, but this case has already sparked a wide discussion among AI experts and diplomats.
