What should you believe? A question that we will be asking ourselves every day in view of ever faster news and ever better artificial intelligence (AI) – and which is increasingly difficult to answer. Both phenomena together result in a super meltdown – with fatal consequences. Why fake photos are so dangerous in the real world and how they spot AI-generated content.
There are countless examples of impressively real-looking fake images created using artificial intelligence.
We all remember photos of Pope Francis looking more like a rapper than a preacher in a white puffer jacket and gold cross necklace. Or photos of former US President Donald Trump fleeing the executive branch and being arrested. And just at the beginning of this week there was a new high – or low? — in terms of demonstrations of the power of artificial intelligence: Photos of alleged explosions at the Pentagon and White House, including meters-high clouds of smoke, went viral on Monday.
Faster than you can say “artificial intelligence”, these fake photos caused a stir around the world – and they shouldn’t be dismissed as a funny joke: they have real consequences. Twitter accounts marked as verified but actually dubious — since Elon Musk’s takeover of the short message service these verifications are easy to buy — spread the images. Real media outlets around the world, such as Russia’s foreign broadcaster Russia Today and right-wing Indian news channel Republic TV, also jumped in without checking the facts.
Fake photos and their real consequences
This caused panic selling and even a brief slump in the US stock market. The S&P 500 stock index briefly plunged 30 points, the Dow stock index fell 85 points in minutes – but both recovered equally quickly when the report was refuted. Still, the damage was done, the collapse of the stock market cost real money. So how to fight it? And who actually benefits from all these fake photos? We explain the background. You can check if you can debunk AI-generated photos in our test (below).
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
