Can You Distinguish AI-Generated Hurricane Images?
FOX WEATHER, which provides weather forecasts and information in the United States, has warned against fake AI-generated images of Hurricane Idalia. A series of images generated by AI were posted on Facebook and Instagram accounts with the caption 'Idalia is here'. The posts received hundreds of commendations, with many accounts praising the 'Photographer', which was shocking.
Image of Hurricane Idalia generated by AI
Amy Freeze, a meteorologist at FOX WEATHER, stated, 'When Hurricane Idalia hit last month, AI-generated images posted on Facebook were viewed 23 million times and shared 181,000 times. That's a significant number.' She further emphasized the dangers of AI-generated images, noting, 'Since the National Weather Service uses social media, the same platform as fake news, to provide weather information, there is a very high possibility of confusing it with correct information.'
AI Images Could Undermine Public Trust
With misuse cases like fake news, the perception of AI-generated image technology will likely become more skeptical. It's understandable to want to view it with a critical eye. Particularly, since the images involved natural disasters that could impact human lives, they must be critically scrutinized.
There is nothing wrong with sharing AI-generated images, but it is crucial for the poster to transparently indicate that they are not real but generated by AI. This ethical awareness will become increasingly important in the AI era. The caption 'AI-generated image' or 'not' can change the meaning of a photo, as language is a powerful context, and images are inherently ambiguous.
Image of Hurricane Idalia generated by AI
From history, we learn that it was us humans who turned dynamite into a weapon. How future generations will evaluate and discuss AI technology is also entrusted to us living in the present.
