What if the most convincing photo you’ve ever seen never actually existed? With the rise of AI and AI image platforms, I’m sure you’ve come across an AI image software that lets you generate images. In the past, these images were easy to spot as AI, but as AI becomes smarter and smarter, it’s getting harder to tell the difference between AI generated images and normal images.The increase of AI on major social media platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram raises concerns about misinformation, as people may be tricked into believing images are real when they are not. The use of AI on social media can be dangerous, especially when AI images are used in news, social media, or political content. As AI images and text become more realistic, it’s important to learn how to verify what we see online and make sure what we are interacting with is true, says the government of Canada.
Did you know that the photo of Mr. Leonard on the cover of one of the magazines was actually edited with AI? I know, shocking, right? Ms. Sims used ChatGPT to make Mr. Leonard smile, since he was not smiling in the original photo. And I’m not calling anyone out for this-the image looks perfectly normal. Even the small details are exactly the same if you look closely. The reason I am showing this to everyone is to prove how powerful AI is.
AI Images in News
Even some of the photos in headlines that we see aren’t real. AI can create images that look like news, but the real event never actually happened. From political events to natural disaster coverage, AI can trick readers into believing stories that are false. That’s why it is so important that you check where a photo or video came from before sharing or reacting to it. Also double check that the website or news company where the article is published on is a trusted source. “When encountering content that triggers our emotions, we should stop, pause, and ask ourselves if the information itself is even plausible.” says Martin Lee, Technical Lead for Cisco’s Talos security intelligence
A famous example of AI misinformation is when a video of a massive explosion near the Pentagon, a famous government building in the US, circulated online. It was even shared by trusted news platforms, showing how anyone can be fooled. The image caused a short, temporary drop in the American stock market, before it was debunked.
To conclude, AI images may look real, but it’s our job to make sure that the truth is, too.
