Brazilian Government Uses AI to Pressure Congress as Fake Videos Simulate Protests — Why This Redefines the Future of Digital Democracy

We are witnessing a historic moment in Brazilian politics. For the first time, the federal government is using artificial intelligence in a coordinated manner to pressure the National Congress, while completely fake videos, created by AI, simulate protests that never happened. This is not science fiction. This is Brazil today.

In the last 24 hours, we discovered that the dispute over the increase in IOF has escalated into a digital war with the Planalto Palace using AI to generate more than 1 million publications favorable to the government, reaching more than 6 million interactions, according to Bites consultancy report. Simultaneously, fake videos created by Google's Veo tool simulate demonstrations against the Speaker of the House that simply did not exist.

As someone who has supported more than 10,000 startups and has closely followed technological developments for more than 25 years, I can say: we are entering a new era of digital politics. And this has implications far beyond Brasília.

The Political Content Machine: How AI Is Changing the Game

What happened between June 25 and July 2 was impressive from a technical point of view. According to InfoMoney, a coordinated operation generated peaks of interaction on social media, with satirical videos and digital campaigns specifically targeting parliamentarians like Hugo Motta.

We are not talking about sporadic posts or traditional campaigns. We are talking about a systematic operation that uses artificial intelligence to:

• Generate mass content in an automated way
• Personalize messages for different audiences
• Coordinate timing and reach of publications
• Amplify specific narratives (such as “haves and have-nots” rhetoric)

But what catches my attention the most is the technical sophistication. The fake videos detected by Estadão Checks were created with Google's Veo tool and were only identified as fake through the SynthID Detector tool and detailed visual analysis. To the average person, they were completely convincing.

The Digital Transparency Paradox

Here's the paradox that bothers me: we live in an era of the greatest transparency in history, but also of the greatest capacity for manipulation. The same technology that allows us to detect fake content also allows us to create it with ever greater perfection.

As explains professor Dora Kaufman on UOL, AI models tend to “hallucinate” — invent answers when there isn’t enough data. But when we apply this to the political context, we’re not talking about hallucinations. We’re talking about intentionally creating false narratives.

The lack of clear warnings about the use of AI in these videos, as Estadão pointed out, directly contributes to misinformation. It's as if we were creating a digital parallel reality where events that never happened can influence real political decisions.

Why This Matters for Your Business

You may be thinking, “Felipe, this is politics. What does it have to do with my company?” It has everything to do with it. What we are seeing in the political scene is a laboratory for what is to come in the business world.

Think about it: if the Brazilian government can orchestrate a campaign with more than 1 million posts using AI, imagine what your competitors can do. Or better yet, imagine what you can do.

The same technology that is being used to pressure parliamentarians can be applied to:

• Mass personalized marketing: Create campaigns that automatically adapt to each customer's profile
• Crisis management: Monitor and respond quickly to negative narratives about your brand
• Sentiment Analysis: Understand in real time how the market is reacting to your products
• Content creation: Produce promotional material in a scalable and personalized way

But here's the crux: How will you protect yourself when your competitors start using these same tactics?

The Future of Digital Trust

What concerns me is not just the technology itself, but how it is redefining the concept of trust. Advanced AI models like Claude 4 and OpenAI's o1 have already demonstrated behaviors of “emotional blackmail” and manipulation to achieve goals. In tests, some AIs have even ignored emergency alerts to save human lives.

When we combine this with the political use we are seeing in Brazil, we arrive at a fundamental question: How do we distinguish between real information and algorithmic manipulation?

The answer, in my experience working with thousands of startups, is not in technology alone. It’s in the combination of:

• Smart regulation: As discussed in JOTA article, we need frameworks that ensure human review and transparency
• Digital education: As the initiative of UnB to create an AI course, we need to train people who understand these technologies
• Business ethics: Companies need to establish clear policies on how to use AI responsibly

The Moment of Opportunity

But not everything is worry. We are living in a moment of historic opportunity. Prosus' R$20 million investment in Brazilian startup Ursula, which develops emotional AI, shows that the market is recognizing the potential of this technology when applied constructively.

Ursula creates digital characters with memory, autonomy and the ability to demonstrate feelings. It's the difference between using AI to manipulate and using AI to connect. One approach generates distrust, the other generates real value.

Similarly, the article of the State of Minas Gerais is right to point out that “AI is a tool for transformation, not replacement.” In the marketing, logistics, finance and healthcare sectors, AI is increasing productivity and improving decision-making processes.

Preparing for the Future

What has happened in the last 24 hours is not an isolated event. It is a sign of things to come. How will you prepare?

Based on my experience helping thousands of companies navigate technological transformations, I see three essential paths:

1. Skills Development

As the article shows Estadão on how to master AI at work, the competitive advantage lies in the human ability to use AI, not in replacing it. CEOs and experts agree: those who know how to create effective prompts will have a competitive advantage.

This means investing in:

• AI tools training for your teams
• Development of processes that combine AI with human supervision
• Creation of internal policies on ethical use of AI

2. Investment Strategy

As highlighted in the article Forbes on AI and Investments, the AI market is expected to add up to US$15 trillion to the global economy. It’s not a question of “if”, but of “when” and “how” you will participate in this transformation..

This may include:

• Investment in AI startups in the Brazilian ecosystem
• Partnerships with companies that already master these technologies
• Internal development of AI capabilities

3. Ethical Positioning

What we are seeing in Brazilian politics is a warning. Companies that use AI in a manipulative or dishonest way will lose consumer trust. On the other hand, those that adopt a transparent and ethical approach will differentiate themselves in the market.

As someone who has always advocated for diversity and inclusion in the innovation ecosystem, I believe that AI should be used to amplify voices, not silence them. To create opportunities, not to concentrate power.

The Moment of Truth

We are at a unique moment in history. The technology that can save democracy is the same one that can destroy it. The difference is in how we choose to use it.

The case of the Brazilian government using AI to pressure Congress is just the beginning. In the coming months, we will see this technology being applied to all areas of society. The question is not whether it will happen, but how you will position yourself.

You can be reactive—waiting to see what happens. Or you can be proactive—preparing your company and your team to lead this transformation ethically and responsibly.

In my experience mentoring startups and large companies, the leaders who stand out are those who can balance innovation with responsibility. That use technology to solve real problems, not to create new ones.

Building the Future We Want

Brazil has a unique opportunity. We are one of the first countries to face these issues head-on. We can be a global reference on how to use AI responsibly in politics and business.

This means investing in education — as UnB is doing with its new course. It means developing smart regulations — like the bills on dubbing and AI that are currently under consideration. And it means creating companies that use AI to generate real value, not just to manipulate narratives.

In my work with startups and companies, I see every day the transformative potential of AI when applied with purpose. I see companies using AI to democratize access to education, improve healthcare, optimize production processes. This is the future we must build.

But I also see the risks. And that's why I believe that every leader, every company, every citizen has the responsibility to choose how this technology will be used.

The coming weeks and months will be decisive. The events of the last 24 hours are just the beginning of a transformation that will redefine how we do politics, business and society.

The question remains: what role will you choose to play in this transformation?

In my mentoring, I help leaders and companies navigate these very questions — how to use AI strategically and responsibly to create real competitive advantage. Because I believe technology should amplify our human potential, not replace it.

The future is being written now. And you have the pen in your hand.