Fact Check: Did Keanu Reeves and Elon Musk debate in viral video? 

A claim has been making waves online that the renowned John Wick actor, Keanu Reeves, and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, were debating on television regarding the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). The root of this rumor can be traced to a YouTube video that was posted by a channel called "Voices of Change" on March 2, 2025. The video was titled,

"Keanu Reeves Destroys Elon Musk on Live TV – The Entire Studio Falls Silent!"

The video has over 50k views and is an hour long. For those who expect to see the two prominent individuals having a head-to-head debate, you will be disappointed. The YouTube video comprises computerized versions of both Musk and Reeves. Even the "debate" was a narration done in the third person with an AI-generated voice.

According to Snopes, the whole video was generated using AI. Tools such as Sightengine, Deepfake Total, and Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector were used to confirm that the YouTube video was fake.

More details about the supposed debate that happened between Elon Musk and Keanu Reeves

Although the video that originally sparked the rumors online was posted a month ago in March, these claims only came forth a few days ago in April. On April 9, 2025, a German X user with the handle @daniel_gugger posted a lengthy post regarding the debate between Musk and Reeves.

For English speakers, another account with the username @JamesTate121 posted a translated version of Daniel Gugger's post. This is what the translated post had to say:

"Keanu Reeves is known not only for his iconic film roles, but also for his wisdom, humility, and deep understanding of human existence. In a compelling live debate watched by millions of viewers worldwide, he caught none other than Elon Musk, the visionary and tech mogul, to talk about one of the most pressing issues of our time: the future of artificial intelligence, creativity and human connection." - the post starts.

It also gave a little more insight into the type of people the two men are, as well as what kind of work they have produced. The post reads,

"Musk, known for his bold visions of Mars colonies and an AI-powered future, spoke about the need for technological advancements to save humanity. Reeves, on the other hand, introduced a calmer, more contemplative perspective: “Perhaps our goal is not to control the world, but to understand it.”"

When it came to the main point of the debate. The post reiterates:

"When asked whether AI will surpass human creativity, Elon Musk responded with a clear: “Sooner or later, yes. Machines will create art, compose music and tell stories – better than us. ” The camera waved at Keanu Reeves, who briefly remained silent, then took a deep breath and said: “But will a machine ever know what it feels like to miss something ? Or what is it like to create something beautiful out of a moment of sorrow? Creativity does not arise from calculation but from experience, pain, love, and hope. ”" - @James Tate's translated post reads.

Finally, the post ends with Daniel Gugger in favor of Keanu Reeves' statement. He wrote:

"In a world increasingly lost in technology, Keanu Reeves reminded us that our deepest values cannot be programmed. What makes us human is not our efficiency, but our imperfection. And sometimes all it takes is a simple, honest sentence to make a whole room think - even if Elon Musk is sitting in it." - Daniel Gugger wrote, which was translated into English by Tate.

Although the debate between Elon Musk and Keanu Reeves is fake, many netizens have sided with Reeves on the matter of using AI.

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