Simulated Musk, Zuckerberg Voices Are Speaking from Hacked Crosswalk Buttons

In a bizarre and concerning incident, crosswalk buttons in at least three California cities have been hacked to play the seemingly AI-generated voices of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The hack, which appears to have taken place on Friday, has resulted in the simulated voices being broadcasted through the crosswalk buttons, often playing alongside the built-in safety notices. The affected areas include Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Menlo Park, with reports of the phenomenon emerging over the weekend.

The voice features of the crosswalk buttons are designed to assist people with visual impairments, providing guidance on when to "wait" and when the walk sign has turned on. However, the addition of the simulated voices seems to be a secondary feature, adding an element of surprise to an already critical infrastructure.

The Humorous yet Disturbing Content

Videos posted online showcase the simulated voices of Musk and Zuckerberg, often delivering messages that are both humorous and disturbing. For example, one video features a simulated Musk saying "Hi, this is Elon Musk, and I'd like to personally welcome you to Palo Alto" before going on to describe being a cancer as "fucking awesome."

Another video features a simulated Trump soundalike praising the former president's supposed charm, while a faked Zuckerberg's voice boasts about "undermining democracy" and "cooking our grandparents' brains with AI slop."

The Impact on City Officials

City officials in Palo Alto have confirmed that 12 downtown intersections were affected by the hack. According to Palo Alto Online, city employees determined that the crosswalks' voice features had been compromised and have since disabled them pending repairs.

Redwood City is also investigating the issue, with a deputy city manager telling The San Francisco Chronicle that they are working to resolve the problem.

A Call for Transparency and Accountability

The incident has raised questions about the security of critical infrastructure in California's cities. As one user noted on social media, "This is not funny. This is a serious breach of our trust." Others have called for greater transparency from city officials regarding the maintenance and upkeep of these systems.

"We need to know how this happened, who was responsible, and what measures are being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future," said another user. "This is not just about crosswalk buttons – it's about our right to safety and security."