AI Alters Trump Video to Hide Cultural Insult in Saudi Arabia

The Al Arabiya TV channel used artificial intelligence to alter footage of US President Donald Trump's meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the American leader violated local etiquette and producers decided not to embarrass him on air.

During the official welcome ceremony at the royal palace, held to mark the White House chief's visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump was offered traditional Arabic coffee — gahwa, a spiced drink that symbolizes hospitality in Arab culture.

However, Trump refused to drink it — a gesture that, according to local customs, is considered a serious sign of disrespect. As a result, the channel's journalists decided to use AI to generate a version of the video where Trump appears to accept and drink the coffee, and aired that version instead.

While the AI largely did its job convincingly, it failed to fix some details — for example, the armrests of Trump's chair differ between two frames, and the person sitting to the right of the prince was changed by the neural network.

Previously, Trump had also been criticized for breaking dress code protocol at Pope Francis's farewell ceremony in the Vatican. The American president showed up wearing a blue suit instead of the customary black. Meanwhile, First Lady Melania wore a black dress and black veil. The couple left the ceremony immediately after the farewell segment, without staying for the full event.

Details

Arabic coffee also called Qahwa (Arabic: قهوة), is a version of the brewed coffee of Coffea arabica beans. Most Arab countries throughout the Middle East have developed distinct methods for brewing and preparing coffee. Cardamom is an often-added spice, but it can alternatively be served plain or with sugar. There are several different styles to brewing the coffee depending on the preference of the drinker. Some methods keep the coffee light whereas others can make it dark. Arabic coffee is bitter, and typically no sugar is added. It is usually served in a small cup that is adorned with a decorative pattern, known as a finjān. Culturally, Arabic coffee is served during family gatherings or when receiving guests.