An elderly Malaysian couple reportedly travelled more than 370km from Kuala Lumpur to enjoy a cable car ride they had seen online, only to realise upon arrival that the video was generated through artificial intelligence (AI).
The couple travelled to Pengkalan Hulu in the western state of Perak last month to enjoy the joyride, according to a viral post on the social media platform Threads, reported by several local media outlets.
In a post shared by a hotel employee in Gerik, Perak, named Daya on 30 June, she recalled that the couple allegedly asked her if she had visited the cable car in Kuak Hulu. The couple told her they had seen the cable car in a video featured during a news segment of a local channel.
In the AI-generated video, a woman with a mic introduced the "Kuak Skyride" – a purported scenic cable car ride in the quiet town of Kuak Hulu. The video showed people forming queues outside a ticketing booth, while tourists clicked photos of the attraction.
The AI-generated video showed the "reporter" interviewing visitors, including tourists from Thailand, and having a luxurious meal. The cable car journey, against the picturesque mountains, culminates at a deer petting zoo in the AI-generated video.
"I was so shocked... I explained to the auntie that the video was (made by AI) and not real,” the hotel worker wrote in a post.
“The auntie then asked ‘Why would anyone want to lie? There was even a reporter (in the video)’,” the employee added.
The elderly woman said she did not come across comments under the video to indicate that it was fake, and expressed their wish to sue the journalist. However, the employee said she had to remind the woman that the journalist in the video also did not exist.
When asked why they did not check with their children before visiting, the couple said they were embarrassed. "Please, all of you diligently ask your parents who are traveling, ask where you are going from KL [Kuala Lumpur] to Perak," the employee added in her post.
The viral AI video has prompted authorities to issue clarifications, stating that such a cable car project does not exist in Perak. “Of course, it doesn’t exist... but I admit, it was exciting to watch. We were entertained, even if it was just AI-generated content," Sinar Harian newspaper quoted Baling district officer Yazlan Sunardie Che Yahaya as saying.
“Who knows, maybe one day it could become a reality. After all, Baling and Pengkalan Hulu do have mountains and scenic views that are suitable and beautiful," he said.
Baling's acting district police chief Ahmad Salimi Md Ali cautioned the public against sharing content on social media before verifying. “To date, we have not received any reports involving losses, fraud or public concern related to the viral AI-generated video.
“Checks conducted in both Baling and Pengkalan Hulu have confirmed that no such cable car project exists,” he said, according to Malay Mail. Police could take action under existing laws if such content caused public alarm or disrupted order, he added.
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