Twitch Star Pokimane Says AI Deepfake Scandal Involving Atrioc Still Triggers ‘Fight-or-Flight’

Twitch star Imane 'Pokimane' Anys has revealed that seeing fellow streamer Atrioc's name or face still triggers anxiety, nearly four years after the 2023 AI deepfake scandal.

Her comments come amid renewed controversy over Atrioc's presence at events involving mutual friends, with the streamer subsequently withdrawing from a planned TwitchCon panel.

How the 2023 Deepfake Scandal Affected Pokimane

In January 2023, Atrioc accidentally revealed a browser tab displaying a website featuring explicit AI-generated sexual images of female streamers, including Pokimane, during a livestream. He acknowledged accessing the website and later apologised. The available reporting establishes that he accessed the site, rather than that he created the images himself.

During a livestream on 25 October, Pokimane said seeing Atrioc's name or face continued to cause 'a lot of discomfort and anxiety'.

She explained how the experience affected her, saying: 'It just signals to my brain like, "You are not safe here." Like, "No one will protect you,"'

'It just really puts me in fight-or-flight,' she added.

In a statement posted on X on 26 October, Pokimane addressed the incident and why she had initially remained quiet.

'When he was first caught looking at paywalled, deepfake content of female streamers, it seems people forgot that the specific page shown on his stream was of me,' she wrote.

She added that she had not said much at the time because she felt 'so uncomfortable, publicly humiliated'.

Pokimane Says Money Cannot Undo the Harm

Pokimane acknowledged that Atrioc had offered $3,000 (£2,250) towards efforts to remove the deepfake material. However, she said she had personally spent hundreds of thousands of dollars — a figure she shared publicly that has not been independently verified in the cited reporting.

'Regardless, no amount of money undoes what happened,' she wrote.

Her comments highlight the potential financial burden of trying to remove non-consensual AI-generated sexual content, even when efforts are made to address the harm.

Renewed Discomfort Over Atrioc's Presence in Shared Circles

Pokimane said Atrioc's growing involvement in events and with people close to her had made her increasingly uncomfortable. The renewed controversy followed his presence at the wedding of mutual friends Ludwig Ahgren and QTCinderella.

She stressed that she was not trying to cancel Atrioc or dictate whom other people could invite to events. Instead, she wanted to explain how the incident continued to affect her.

'Other people forgiving him is their choice, but it doesn't mean I can't share my perspective on it as well,' she said.

Pokimane also said that, as far as she knew, no one had checked in with the women affected to ask how they felt about Atrioc's renewed presence in their circles.

Atrioc Responds and Withdraws From TwitchCon Panel

Atrioc subsequently responded to Pokimane's comments during a livestream. He acknowledged her feelings and said he regretted his actions.

'Those feelings are totally valid. I've never disagreed with that,' he said. 'I feel terrible, I can't undo it. I'm trying to use my actions to show that's not who I am.'

However, he pushed back against the idea that other streamers should face criticism for continuing to associate with him.

'I do think those people should be allowed to invite me to something,' he said.

Atrioc also said he had withdrawn from a planned TwitchCon 2026 panel because he did not want his appearance to make anyone uncomfortable. His withdrawal concerned the panel; it should not be interpreted as confirmation that he would miss the entire convention.

The Lasting Impact of Non-Consensual AI Deepfakes

The renewed dispute highlights the lasting consequences of non-consensual AI-generated sexual images and the difficulty of rebuilding trust after such an incident.

Although Atrioc has acknowledged his actions and supported efforts to remove the material, Pokimane's comments make clear that those efforts have not erased her experience or determined how she should feel about his continued presence in shared social circles.