A Russian citizen residing in Cuba, known on social media as Poli, took to Instagram yesterday to address accusations that she is an artificial intelligence, asserting her authenticity as a real person who learned Spanish on the streets.
"Hi, I'm Poli, a Russian living in Cuba. I saw a comment yesterday claiming I'm AI, but I'm neither AI, TRD, nor CDR. I'm just a normal Russian person," she stated in her 52-second video posted on her account named 'Me llamo Poli'.
In the clip, Poli also refuted any association with Cuban currency stores or the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, two institutions under the regime that often spark distrust among Cuban social media users.
To prove her genuineness, the influencer spoke in Russian and English, besides Spanish, explaining how she learned the language: "I learned Spanish with you all on the street, with my family, with my husband."
In Russian, she added: "I can speak Russian, but you can't and won't understand," making it clear that her multilingual ability is solid evidence against her being an artificially generated profile.
The video's description succinctly captures her stance: "I don't need AI to be the little Russian CUBAN."
Viral Fame and Controversy
The skepticism surrounding her account emerged shortly after Poli went viral for naming her newborn daughter Apagonia, a nod to the chronic power outages plaguing Cuba.
In the video where she explained the name, Poli noted that both the conception and birth of her daughter coincided with power cuts in the country: "When she was conceived, the lights went out. And when she was born, the lights went out." That clip garnered 241,000 views and sparked extensive discussion on social media.
The name Apagonia fits into a humorous Cuban trend where jokes circulate about naming babies Apagón, Generador, or Fusible, in reference to the energy crisis forcing Cubans to endure blackouts lasting up to twenty hours daily.
A Community with Historical Roots
Poli is part of a Russian community in Cuba that exceeds 3,500 individuals, with around 2,500 of them being Russian nationals, a community with historical ties dating back to the Soviet era.
Her sudden rise to fame also brought with it the skepticism inherent in Cuba's digital landscape, where distrust towards social media accounts is rampant, and allegations of AI-generated content are increasingly common.
Understanding Poli's Online Presence and the Cuban Context
Why did Poli name her daughter Apagonia?
Poli named her daughter Apagonia to reflect the chronic power outages in Cuba, as both her daughter's conception and birth coincided with power cuts.
What institutions are associated with distrust in Cuba?
In Cuba, distrust is often associated with the Cuban currency stores (TRD) and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR).
How did Poli learn Spanish?
Poli learned Spanish by engaging with people on the streets, as well as through interactions with her family and husband.