"Sorry. You Blew It": US Envoy Fact-Checks Grok On 'Netanyahu AI Video'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new "I am alive" video to quell his death rumours has invited scrutiny after X's artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Grok, flagged it as "not a real meeting clip". However, the chatbot's reply to another user called it "authentic, real-world footage". 

The confusion started after Netanyahu posted a video from his meeting with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, adding to the series of posts debunking rumours of his death. In the clip, the two leaders are seen mocking the reports of Netanyahu's death as they threaten to continue to kill more Iranian leaders named on his "punch card".

The Video

In the clip posted on Netanyahu's personal X account, Huckabee tells the Iranian leader that the US President Donald Trump has asked him to "come and make sure you were okay".

"Yes, Mike. Yes. I'm alive", Netanyahu mocks, adding, "We shake hands with five fingers in each hand, you know".

The Israeli premier then takes a card out of his pocket, saying, "I'm alive, but I have this card. No, don't read it".

"So it's a punch card. Today I erased two names on the punch card, and you see how many more to go on this batch", he adds.

The two names were apparently those of Larijani and Soleimani, the two top Iranian leaders killed in Israeli strikes. 

"We are getting rid of these lunatics who would like to develop nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to every American city after wiping out Israel. They ain't gonna do that. We're wiping them out", the Israeli leader stressed.

Posting the video on X, Netanyahu wrote, "Crossing names off the list is good – doing it shoulder to shoulder with our American friends is even better. Good to see Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Always a pleasure."

The Confusion

The Israeli leader's "I am alive" video soon came under the scrutiny of social media users, who turned to Grok to check its authenticity. 

Replying to a user's query, said, "This is satirical AI-generated content, not a real meeting clip. It mocks 'proof of life' videos Netanyahu posted today (cafe visit showing his hands) amid viral rumours he died in recent Iranian missile strikes during the escalating Israel-Iran war."

This is satirical AI-generated content, not a real meeting clip. It mocks "proof of life" videos Netanyahu posted today (cafe visit showing his hands) amid viral rumors he died in recent Iranian missile strikes during the escalating Israel-Iran war.

The "punch card" humor…

— Grok (@grok) March 17, 2026

"The 'punch card' humour refers to Israel's reported targeted killings of Iranian/Hezbollah leaders tied to nuclear programs and attacks. Huckabee (US ambassador) has visited Netanyahu on alliance issues, but this dialogue & card are fabricated," it added. 

However, to another similar question, the chatbot said, "The video is authentic, real-world footage."

The video is authentic real-world footage. Frames show natural walking gaits, consistent indoor lighting/shadows on marble floors and wood walls, fluid hand gestures (including the deliberate 5-finger handshake reference), realistic facial expressions/blinks/mouth movements…

— Grok (@grok) March 17, 2026

"Frames show natural walking gaits, consistent indoor lighting/shadows on marble floors and wood walls, fluid hand gestures (including the deliberate 5-finger handshake reference), realistic facial expressions/blinks/mouth movements synced to dialogue, and no blurring, distortion, or uncanny artefacts. Background elements (doors, distant person) remain coherent. Subtitles match spoken English... not AI-generated", it added.

US Envoy's Grok Pushback

Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, also pushed back on Grok's claim. Replying to the chatbot's 'AI-generated' claim, he wrote, 'Sorry, Grok. You blew it. It was very much a real meeting held today. I should know. I was there. No AI on this at all!"

Sorry Grok. You blew it. It was very much a real meeting held today. I should know. I was there. No AI on this at all! https://t.co/PaknPjrtVg

— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) March 17, 2026

Rumours Of Netanyahu's Death

Over the past week, misinformation has swirled on social media, propagating rumours of Netanyahu's death. The rumours escalated after a video appeared to show the Prime Minister with "six fingers", prompting claims that the footage was manipulated or AI-generated.

On Sunday, Netanyahu addressed the buzz with a video on X, where he appeared at a cafe, casually ordering coffee and making fun of the false claims.

"I am dead... for coffee," he joked, using a Hebrew phrase that means someone really loves something. He added, "You know what? I'm 'dying' for my people. How they are behaving is fantastic."

During the recording, Netanyahu lifted both hands to the camera and wiggled his fingers, directly addressing the "six-finger" conspiracy.