GTA 6, artificial intelligence and fake leaks: what's really going on

Combining GTA 6, the most anticipated game in recent yearsand artificial intelligence This has created the perfect breeding ground for confusion. Between delays, official silence, and a community eager for any news, AI-generated videos have found fertile ground to go viral, even when they don't show anything real from Rockstar's upcoming title.

In the last weeks, a series of alleged GTA 6 leaks created entirely with artificial intelligence tools It has deceived millions of users on social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok. Behind this wave of fake clips is the account Zap Actu GTA6, whose "experiment" has highlighted how easy it is nowadays to blur the line between authentic and fabricated content.

GTA 6 delay and total absence of gameplay official

The context doesn't help: Grand Theft Auto VI Its launch has been delayed again.Rockstar Games and its parent company Take-Two Interactive have now set the date for the November 19th 2026 en PlayStation 5 y Xbox Series X | SThe title was initially expected in May, but a calendar adjustment has moved it to the Christmas season, where player activity traditionally skyrockets in Europe and the rest of the world.

Despite already having two official trailers and a good handful of details about the setting in the fictional state of Leonida (inspired by Florida) and the return to Vice City, Rockstar has not yet shown a single minute of actual gameplay. Beyond the massive early development leak it suffered in 2022, that lack of official images of gameplay It fuels the thirst for content and pushes many players, including in Spain and throughout Europe, to cling to any clip that seems credible. The company has even made its release date in their official communications.

Meanwhile, financial analysts continue to predict a huge impact: Between 35 and 45 million copies are expected to be sold in the first yearwith an income that could be around 2.000 million supported by a Starting price close to $80/€80The delay shook the New York Stock Exchange, where Take-Two shares fell by around 9%, but the medium-term outlook remains very optimistic.

In Europe, the game will retain its rating, as is customary in the series. PEGI 18This clearly demonstrates the adult focus of their proposal: robberies, chases, open-world parties, and a plot centered on Lucía, an ex-convictand his partner, in a dynamic reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde. Adding to this are rumors about an online mode with rooms for up to 200 players and a reinforced risk-reward system for player-versus-player raids.

Zap Actu GTA6 viral video: Millions of views for a fake AI-generated GTA 6

In this scenario of waiting and few certainties, The Zap Actu GTA6 account stormed X (Twitter) with several videos claiming to show the biggest GTA 6 leak to dateThe clips showed Lucia walking along the seafront in the rain, or Jason on some bleachers near a gas station, with an aesthetic very similar to the official trailers and Rockstar's graphic style.

The content was presented as footage recorded "from inside" Rockstar's studios, supposedly leaked by several anonymous accounts. Although the first clips initially went somewhat unnoticed, One of the videos skyrocketed to over 8 million views in just one dayaccumulating tens of thousands of "likes" and making the account one of the most talked about within the GTA 6 community on X.

Part of the success of the deception was due to the fact that, At first glance, the videos might have seemed convincingThe rain, the nighttime lighting, the character's movements, and the urban setting all fit well with what many fans imagined for the new GTA. However, upon closer inspection, some strange details became apparent: Distortions in cars as they move, rough animations, and typical errors of the current generation of video AI.

More experienced users, including European content creators specializing in Rockstar, began pointing out on social media that it was fake material. Community notes on X also warned of its dubious origin. But by then, The damage was already done, and millions of people assumed it was a genuine hoax. gameplay filtered out.

From social experiment to public apology

The situation became untenable when The Zap Actu GTA6 Discord server began to fill with messages demanding explanations.The controversy spread to international media, including specialized websites like IGN, and community pressure mounted. Shortly after, the creator himself admitted what many suspected: All the material was generated using artificial intelligence..

In a statement released on social media and in conversations with various media outlets, ZapActu He explained that his goal was to carry out a "social experiment" to demonstrate how easy it will be in 2025 to blur the line between reality and AI-produced contentHe claimed that he had no legitimate leaked information about GTA 6 and that all the clips had been created using artificial intelligence models trained with audiovisual references from the saga, probably including the real leaks from 2022.

The author also stated that He had not obtained any direct financial benefits from the videosAlthough the account on X used a subscription model and displayed payment verification from the platform, this raised further suspicions among followers. Faced with the uproar, they proceeded to delete the most viral posts and close profiles linked to the project, claiming they hadn't anticipated that a single clip could go so far.

Along with the admission of the deception came the apologies: He said he regretted the frustration, anger, and feeling of betrayal felt by the fans.He insisted that he never intended to harm anyone or sabotage Rockstar's work. In later messages, he even described it as a "big joke" intended solely to entertain and generate conversation within the GTA 6 community, although a large part of the public did not share this lighthearted view of the matter.

A wave of fake leaks: when AI becomes a tool for disinformation

The Zap Actu GTA6 case is not isolated. The excessive hype surrounding GTA 6, coupled with the advancement of generative artificial intelligence, has created an ideal ecosystem for the proliferation of fake leaks.Prior to this episode, other viral hoaxes had already been seen, such as supposed absurd functions within the game (for example, exaggerated dance animations or "twerk") that also turned out to be the product of AI.

This trend aligns with a broader phenomenon on the internet: Manipulated or entirely AI-generated videos that are circulating massivelyFrom fake messages from renowned scientists to impersonations of Hollywood actors promoting products without their consent, the cultural industry and various governments have seen a steady increase in concerns about the fraudulent use of images and trademarks, both financially and reputationally.

In the specific case of GTA 6, la lack of recent official material It causes a large part of the community to lower their guard.When a video aesthetically matches what was seen in the trailers, it gets shared massively. almost without verifying its authenticityAlthough platforms like X allow adding community annotations to mark content as misleading, these warnings don't always reach all users and usually appear when the clip has already gone viral.

For the Spanish and European community, each new "leak" becomes an immediate topic of debate on social networks, forums, and Discord groups. Many players admit that, even when they suspect something is amiss, they prefer to believe for a few minutes that they are watching a real preview.This desire for novelty, combined with the power of AI tools, largely explains why experiments like ZapActu can get out of control.

What is Rockstar doing with artificial intelligence in GTA 6?

While the fakes leaks AI-generated stories dominate headlines, while another fundamental issue is being debated: the potential use of artificial intelligence within GTA 6 itselfStrauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, has hinted in recent interviews that Rockstar is exploring the use of AI to improve certain aspects of development and gameplay, especially in relation to non-player characters (NPCs).

The idea being considered is not that an AI would write the entire story or dialogue from scratch, but Leverage models trained with human scripts to achieve more natural and varied conversations with NPCsInstead of repeatedly hearing the same pre-recorded phrases when passing a pedestrian or entering a store, the system could introduce variations, react better to what is happening around it, and adapt more to the player's behavior.

Zelnick has insisted on several occasions that Artificial intelligence will not replace screenwriters or creatives.On the contrary, the goal would be to reduce repetitive tasks, automate uninspiring processes, and allow human teams to focus on key narrative moments, important dialogue, and world design. This aims to increase development efficiency without losing Rockstar's signature tone, pacing, and sense of humor.

However, the company itself is aware of the risks. Even with advanced models, Allowing AI to generate unfiltered dialogue could disrupt the game's rhythm, introduce off-color responses, or phrases that don't fit with Grand Theft Auto's irreverent, yet highly measured, style.Therefore, any integration of these technologies requires clear control, editing, and limiting systems to prevent the experience from becoming incoherent or simply boring.

Can AI also explain the GTA 6 delays?

Another question that looms over the community is whether Technical ambition and the potential use of AI in GTA 6 are contributing to the delays.So far, Take-Two hasn't offered a detailed explanation for the latest date change, beyond the usual reasons of polishing, quality, and the project's scale. However, fitting new tools into a production of this magnitude is no easy feat.

If you want to achieve a vast open world, an online mode with more players per server, and NPCs that react more believably thanks to AIIt's reasonable to assume that the integration, testing, and balancing work will require extra time. Zelnick has presented AI as a way to streamline certain internal processes, but he has also pointed out that expectations must be carefully managed to avoid promising players unlimited conversations or behaviors impossible to maintain in a commercial product.

In Europe, where regulation of emerging technologies is becoming increasingly strict, Major publishers know that any AI implementation must be done with caution.It's not just about achieving an artistically sound result, but also about complying with data protection regulations, copyright laws, and potential future legislation on synthetic content. All of this adds further layers of complexity to an already enormous undertaking.

In any case, what does seem clear is that Rockstar is not going to abandon its traditional production model based on writers, designers, and voice actors.Artificial intelligence is perceived more as a support tool than a replacement, something that could set the standard for other major studios in the video game industry in Europe and the rest of the world in the coming years.

Given this whole scenario, the relationship between GTA 6 and artificial intelligence It is being defined on two different frontsOn the one hand, the internal and controlled use of these technologies to improve dialogues and development processes; on the other hand, creation of increasingly convincing fake leaks that test the players' critical thinking skills.

Between delays, rumors, and viral experiments, The only thing that's certain right now is that we'll have to wait until November 2026. It will continue to fuel both expectations and AI attempts to infiltrate, for better or for worse, the Grand Theft Auto universe.

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Alberto navarro

I am a technology enthusiast who has turned his "geek" interests into a profession. I have spent more than 10 years of my life using cutting-edge technology and tinkering with all kinds of programs out of pure curiosity. Now I have specialized in computer technology and video games. This is because for more than 5 years I have been writing for various websites on technology and video games, creating articles that seek to give you the information you need in a language that is understandable to everyone.

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