AI Holocaust content is booming. Is it all ‘slop’ - or a solution for fading firsthand memory?

The World Jewish Congress (WJC) released a 23-second AI-generated video depicting Anne Frank in June 2025, using a single known photograph to animate her likeness as part of an educational effort. The clip, shared widely with nearly 800 comments and 16,000 likes, divided audiences: some praised it for bringing Holocaust victims to life, while others called it ‘disgusting’ and argued Anne Frank deserved respect beyond digital recreation. The controversy reflects broader concerns about AI’s role in Holocaust remembrance. While tools like AI can preserve fading testimonies—such as Meta’s ‘Tell Me, Inge…’ project, which uses AI to simulate holographic interviews with survivor Inge Auerbacher—experts warn of risks. Fake Holocaust content, often created to generate clicks, threatens to erode trust in historical documentation amid rising antisemitism and denialism. Yfat Barak-Cheney, executive director of the WJC’s Institute of Technology and Human Rights, acknowledged the ethical dilemma but emphasized AI’s potential. ‘If we’re not going to use any of these tools, we’re going to remain way behind,’ she said, noting Meta’s commitment to combating antisemitism on its platforms. However, she cautioned that misuse could cause more harm than good, such as distorting testimonies by altering languages or contexts. The ‘Tell Me, Inge…’ project, a collaboration between Meta, StoryFile, the Claims Conference, and UNESCO, uses AI to generate responses to viewer questions based on Auerbacher’s oral history. The team deliberately limited the AI to her native languages, German and English, to avoid accusations of inauthenticity. Barak-Cheney stressed that such precautions are critical to prevent backlash and ensure the integrity of survivors’ stories. Critics argue that even well-intentioned AI projects risk contributing to a ‘slop’ of misleading content that undermines public trust in Holocaust education. The debate hinges on whether AI can humanize historical figures without distorting their legacies or whether it further blurs the line between fact and fiction in an era of deepfakes and misinformation. As AI tools become more advanced, institutions face pressure to balance innovation with ethical responsibility. The WJC and partners continue exploring AI’s boundaries, but the core question remains: Can technology preserve memory without compromising truth?