"Dangerous" AI-generated mushrooms flood Google
Fake AI-generated images of mushrooms are swamping Google search results, causing consternation amongst health experts and others concerned that they may result in fatal poisonings. The issue was highlighted by Reddit r/mycology community moderator MycoMutant, who discovered that when searching for the fungus Coprinus comatus - commonly referred to as shaggy ink cap - the first image displayed in Google’s AI Overviews featured snippet was an AI-generated image. The image, which had been taken from stock image website Freepik, where it was clearly labeled as AI-generated, bore little resemblance to the real Coprinus comatus, posing a serious risk to anyone relying on it for identification. Experts from the New York Mycological Society expressed concern over the dangers posed by AI-generated images, highlighting that many individuals depend on visual references and when these references are inaccurate, the risk of misidentification increases significantly. The fracas highlighted to surge in AI-generated content now being integrated into search engines like Google, and the abparent inability of search engine developers to detect and manage them appropriately. System 🤖 Google AI Overviews Operator: Google users Developer: Google Country: Global Sector: Health Purpose: Summarise content Technology: Generative AI Issue: Accountability; Safety
- Date it happened
- 2024-01-01
- Organisation involved
- Product, system or model
- AI Overviews
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