AI travel videos are getting so real, people are falling for fake attractions

A Malaysian couple recently found themselves at the center of an AI hoax that turned a simple weekend trip into a costly and frustrating experience. After watching what appeared to be a professionally produced travel video, the elderly couple drove over 230 miles from Kuala Lumpur to a small town in Perak, only to discover that the entire attraction was fabricated by artificial intelligence.The video that fooled them featured a realistic news segment from a fictional broadcaster called “TV Rakyat.” In the clip, a lifelike AI-generated reporter showcased the “Kuak Skyride,” a scenic cable car ride said to exist in the town of Kuak Hulu. The footage showed lush mountain views, interviews with so-called tourists, and even a luxurious dining experience overlooking the landscape. The segment ended with a visit to a deer petting zoo. The entire video appeared authentic, complete with voiceovers and convincing visuals likely created using Google’s Veo 3 model.

According to local media including the Metro and the South China Morning Post, the couple checked into a hotel in Perak’s Pengkalan Hulu area on June 30 and asked about the cable car ride. A hotel employee recounted the moment she realized the attraction didn’t exist:

— @dyaaaaaaa._, a hotel employee, via Threads

The woman was reportedly upset and said she planned to sue the journalist featured in the video. But the hotel employee had to break the news: the reporter was also AI-generated. “Why would anyone want to lie?” the woman replied. “There was even a reporter (in the video).”

This wasn’t an isolated incident. Another social media user reported their parents spent RM 9,000 (around $2,120 USD) to rent a van for the same trip, believing the video to be real. Reports suggest the video went viral across Malaysian social platforms before eventually being taken down due to public backlash.

The situation raises important questions about the growing realism of AI-generated video content. If ordinary travelers can be misled by videos that seem indistinguishable from real-life footage, what does that mean for digital media going forward?

Cases like this show that while generative video tools can be powerful for creativity, they also introduce risks around misinformation, especially when viewers are unaware of how convincing synthetic content can be. Personally, I think that as these tools become more accessible, we may need better labeling, regulations, or education to help viewers distinguish real from fake.