CM Punk says fake AI-generated quotes are no longer just annoying—they’re creating real-world problems serious enough that the FBI has contacted him over death threats.
While appearing on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast, Punk was shown several social media graphics claiming Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch and other WWE stars had blasted him after he beat Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Punk immediately shut them down, saying none of them were real.
“This is why I don’t f**k with social media. These are like AI generated. These are fake quotes. Seth did not tweet this. Becky did not tweet this.”
Stephanie admitted that’s exactly why she wanted to ask him about the screenshots, opening the door to a much bigger conversation. Punk said the problem isn’t just that fake quotes exist. It’s that people immediately believe them without ever checking whether they’re real.
“This is a double-edged sword about, I think, most people in our business, but especially me. There are—and I do not say this lightly—these are mentally ill people who… I couldn’t imagine making up fake tweets that somebody else said. But I think the problem—and it’s not just in our business, I think it’s a societal thing—is people will instantly see that and then they believe it. They believe it.”
Ironically, Punk admitted that kind of chaos can sometimes help the CM Punk character because stirring emotions is part of the job. The problem is that once the cameras stop rolling, it’s Phil Brooks who has to deal with whatever those fake stories create.
“I’m in the business of toying with people’s emotions. So if somebody’s going to read that and they’re going to believe it, that helps me in a way, you know? But there’s also Phil, who walks through parking lots with his wife, who has his head on a swivel because those people are out there.”
The conversation then took an even darker turn. Stephanie brought up death threats and revealed that the FBI contacts people when certain threats are considered serious enough to warrant notification. Punk confirmed he knows exactly how that process works. Punk then revealed those calls have happened more than once.
Stephanie McMahon: “Do you know if there’s a death threat against you, the FBI has to call you and notify you?
CM Punk: “Yes. Yeah, I think they’re pretty slack on that too, by the way. I don’t think they’re catching all of them. Probably not. There’s been a few phone calls.”
Stephanie pointed out that authorities usually explain they do not believe the person making the threat is actually capable of carrying it out. Punk wasn’t exactly comforted: “Yeah, thanks. It takes us that one time, right?”
For Punk, though, the issue has gone far beyond internet trolling. He says fake AI content is convincing enough that people believe it, emotions spiral out of control and the consequences eventually follow him into the real world. That’s why, even after winning WWE’s biggest prize, Punk says he still walks through parking lots looking over his shoulder.
Do you think social media platforms are doing enough to stop fake AI-generated posts, or has it become too easy for misinformation to spread? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
