Image of Trudeau speaking to empty WEF hall is AI-generated

Published on January 23, 2026 at 18:38
2 min read
By Gwen Roley, AFP Canada

Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau took to the stage at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, but images spreading on social media of him addressing an almost-empty conference room are manipulations. Several elements point to the picture being AI-generated, and it does not match authentic footage of Trudeau's talk at the annual gathering of global leaders.

"I don't even think Katy Perry showed up," reads a January 20, 2026 X post sharing the image and referencing Trudeau's new relationship with the American pop star.

In the picture, a man in a suit faces away towards a large but sparsely populated room surrounded by signs implying the event is part of the World Economic Forum.

Different versions of the image spread across X, Facebook and Threads in posts claiming it showed Trudeau speaking to only a handful of people in Davos. The claims also appeared in German, Spanish and Chinese.

Screenshot of the false post taken January 22, 2026, with a red X added by AFP

Trudeau was prime minister of Canada for nearly a decade before resigning in January 2025 amidst cratering popularity. Despite stepping away from politics, he was tapped for a World Economic Forum speech on "soft power."

As a gathering for the world's governmental and financial elite, the World Economic Forum is a recurrent launchpad for conspiracy theories. During his time in office, Trudeau was also a frequent target of misinformation.

The image of Trudeau speaking to only a handful of people is similarly fake. An analysis of the visual reveals it contains errors indicative of creation with artificial intelligence.

The few figures in the audience have indistinct faces. The supposed "World Economic Forum" text on the banner in the background is garbled. The collection of flags is bizarrely placed in the middle of the seats and also appears scrambled.

Screenshot of an image taken January 22, 2026, with visual inconsistencies typical of AI fabrication highlighted by AFP

Furthermore, the imagery in the fake does not match the scenes where Trudeau was seen in Davos. Footage published by the Canadian Press shows his "soft power" speech took place January 20, 2026 in a room with large windows and natural light which was full of people, including Perry (archived here).

Trudeau also spoke at an event for The Female Quotient, according to the organization's social media accounts (archived here and here). At this talk -- which was also well-attended by Perry and others -- he wore a collared shirt but no suit jacket as seen on the figure in the AI-generated image.

Read more of AFP's reporting on misinformation in Canada here.

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