Canadian official detained for asserting that menacing voicemail was created by AI

An Ontario councilor has been taken into custody and charged after authorities concluded she was responsible for a threatening voicemail that she had previously claimed was generated with artificial intelligence. The Peterborough Police Service reported that Councilor Corinna Traill was arrested on Wednesday and faces two counts of uttering threats.

The accusations surfaced in September when former mayoral candidate Tom Dingwall stated on Facebook that Traill had contacted him in August, urging him to abandon his plans to run for mayor so that one of her associates could enter the race without competition. According to Dingwall, the message escalated into violent threats directed at him and his family. He urged Traill to resign, arguing that no public representative should employ intimidation to influence election decisions.

Traill responded on Facebook at the time, rejecting the claim that she authored the voicemail. She asserted that portions of the recording were manipulated with artificial intelligence, saying that while parts resembled her voice, other segments were artificially produced. She added that her team was working to determine the origins of the altered message and emphasized her long commitment to serving the community.

Police stated that Traill was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to appear in court in January. Requests for additional comments from Traill have been made by the media.

Author: Jackson Miller