Spanish AI satire video imagines political unity for Christmas

While praised for creativity, the video also raises concerns about the realism of AI content and its potential to blur reality and fiction.
An AI video imagines Spain's political rivals embracing festive unity.

A satirical video imagining Spain’s political rivals embracing the festive spirit has captured attention nationwide. The AI-generated clip, created by the collective United Unknown, portrays unlikely moments of reconciliation, such as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and conservative leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo sharing a warm hug. Former King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía are also shown exchanging a kiss, despite their well-documented estrangement.

The video, titled The Magic of Christmas and set to the song Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, uses deepfake technology to depict other striking scenes. Far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal and Catalan separatist Gabriel Rufián are seen laughing together, while Podemos founders Íñigo Errejón and Pablo Iglesias appear to have resolved their differences, chuckling and embracing. Madrid’s conservative leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso and Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz also feature, exchanging smiles and gestures of goodwill.

Since its release on X on 20 December, the video has been viewed over 3.4 million times and received widespread acclaim for its creative ingenuity. Gabriel Rufián, one of the depicted politicians, even retweeted the post. However, not all responses have been positive, with some raising concerns about the growing realism of AI-generated content and its potential to blur the line between reality and fiction.

United Unknown describes itself as a ‘visual guerrilla’ collective, known for satirical deepfakes often targeting Spain’s political scene. While the video has been celebrated as a humorous take on political differences, it also sparks a broader conversation about the implications of AI technology in modern media.