Jonas Bendiksen used AI and 3D software to create Book of Veles
Photographer Jonas Bendiksen created the photobook 'Book of Veles' using 3D software and an OpenAI text generator to depict the North Macedonian town of Veles. The book was published in April 2021 and later screened at the Visa pour l'Image festival without anyone questioning its authenticity. Bendiksen then revealed in an interview with Magnum Photos that the images and text were synthetic. The project raised concerns about the ease of creating convincing misinformation.
- Company involved
- Jonas Bendiksen
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Photos AI panorama creates giant head in ski photo
Google Photos' AI suggested a panorama edit for Alex Harker's ski holiday photos. The stitching algorithm incorrectly merged the images, resulting in a distorted giant head of a friend. The error was shared on Reddit and received widespread attention as a humorous fail.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Photos
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Grok and Google Lens AI overviews falsely claim fake images show Huntingdon train attack
Grok and Google Lens AI overviews have been claiming that AI-generated images of the Huntingdon train attack are real. Grok told users one image was a genuine photo, while Google Lens claimed it was a still from a BBC news report. The AI systems also linked unrelated videos to the attack. Full Fact contacted Google, which told users they can provide feedback on errors. xAI has not yet responded.
- Company involved
- xAI and Google
- AI system involved
- Grok and Google Lens AI overviews
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Autopilot mistakes moon for yellow traffic light, causing car to slow down
A Tesla driver reported that the vehicle's Autopilot system misidentified the moon as a yellow traffic light, causing the car to slow down unexpectedly. The driver alerted Tesla CEO Elon Musk via social media on July 23, 2021. No collision or injury was reported, but the incident highlights a potential safety issue with the object detection system.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
3 source articles · read the reporting →
AI or Not detector mislabels real war photo as AI-generated
The AI image detection tool AI or Not, made by Optic, incorrectly labeled a photograph of a burnt corpse from the Israel-Gaza war as AI-generated. The image was originally tweeted by Israeli officials and later shared by commentators. Experts, including UC Berkeley professor Hany Farid, confirmed the image is real based on structural consistency and shadows. The false detection contributed to disinformation about the war. Optic did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Optic
- AI system involved
- AI or Not
10 source articles · read the reporting →
AI scientist blasted for whitewashing Black Little Mermaid actress
An AI scientist used artificial intelligence to digitally alter the trailer for Disney's 'The Little Mermaid,' replacing Black actress Halle Bailey with a white-appearing woman. The altered video was posted on Twitter, sparking accusations of racism, and the accounts of the scientist and the promoter were suspended. The incident occurred amid backlash against the film's trailer, which had received 1.5 million dislikes, and the alteration was condemned as whitewashing.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Colorado State Fair AI Artwork Win Sparks Outrage Among Artists
Jason Allen won first place in the digital art category at the Colorado State Fair with 'Théâtre D'opéra Spatial', an image generated by the AI system Midjourney. Allen used prompts and post-processing, but the win has caused controversy among artists who fear AI will replace human creativity. Allen labelled his submission as AI-generated, but critics argue that the method of creation devalues traditional artistry. The incident has ignited debate about the role of AI in creative fields.
- Company involved
- Colorado State Fair
- AI system involved
- Midjourney
1 source article · read the reporting →
Glasgow AI mural design sparks criticism from local artists
Balmoral Estates used AI to generate a design mock-up for a planned mural on Elmbank Street in Glasgow. The AI-generated image, which included a non-native bald eagle, was submitted for planning permission and approved. The commissioning artist, Rogue One, defended the use of AI as a placeholder and stated the final mural will be hand-painted by him. Critics argue human artists should have been involved from the start.
- Company involved
- Balmoral Estates
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Fake Luma Dream Machine AI sites deliver Noodlophile infostealer
Cybercriminals set up Facebook pages impersonating Luma Dream Machine and linked to fake AI video generation websites. Users who uploaded images received an archive containing a malicious executable instead of a video. The executable launched a multi-stage attack that installed Noodlophile, which harvests browser credentials, cookies and cryptocurrency wallet information. Morphisec reported the campaign.
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Duke University's PULSE AI upscaler turns Barack Obama white due to racial bias
Duke University researchers developed PULSE, an AI tool that upscales blurry face photos using Nvidia's StyleGAN model. When tested, it generated a white face from a pixelated image of Barack Obama, revealing racial bias. The bias stemmed from StyleGAN's training data being predominantly white and the evaluation dataset CelebA being 90% white. The researchers acknowledged the issue and updated their paper, while Nvidia stated it is working to mitigate bias.
- Company involved
- Duke University
- AI system involved
- PULSE
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Microsoft funded Israeli facial recognition firm surveilling West Bank Palestinians
Microsoft invested in AnyVision, an Israeli facial recognition company whose technology powers a secret military surveillance project in the West Bank. The system, called Better Tomorrow, identifies and tracks Palestinians in live camera feeds. Microsoft said it would audit AnyVision for compliance with its ethical principles.
- Company involved
- Israeli Defense Forces
- AI system involved
- Better Tomorrow
10 source articles · read the reporting →
MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab's AI Portrait Ars produces whitewashed portraits of people of colour
AI Portrait Ars, developed by researchers at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, is reported to have generated Renaissance-style portraits that lightened the skin and altered the facial features of people of colour. The tool, trained on tens of thousands of paintings from the Western artistic tradition, was criticised for reproducing that bias in its data set. The creators acknowledged the bias but did not respond to a request for comment.
- Company involved
- MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab
- AI system involved
- AI Portrait Ars
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Nvidia releases AI-powered Eye Contact feature for Broadcast app
Nvidia has released a beta version of Eye Contact, an AI-powered feature for its Broadcast app that replaces a user's eyes in video streams with simulated eyeballs that always face the camera. The feature is intended to maintain eye contact even when the user looks away, but social media response has been largely negative. A former TV news anchor said that unbroken eye contact can be regarded as creepy or uncomfortable.
- Company involved
- Nvidia
- AI system involved
- Eye Contact
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Gradient app charges users unexpected subscription fees after free trial
The Gradient app, a celebrity lookalike app promoted by the Kardashians, charges users $19.99 per month after a three-day free trial without clear disclosure. Users complained on social media about unexpected credit card charges. The app's developer, Ticket to the Moon, has not addressed the billing complaints but denied collecting user data.
- Company involved
- Ticket to the Moon, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Gradient
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Midjourney bans user for generating AI images of Trump arrest
Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, created AI-generated images of Donald Trump being arrested using Midjourney. He posted them on Twitter, where they went viral. Midjourney subsequently banned him for violating its terms of service. The incident highlighted the potential for AI-generated misinformation.
- Company involved
- Midjourney
- AI system involved
- Midjourney
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Boris Eldagsen refuses Sony World Photography Award for AI-generated image
Boris Eldagsen submitted an AI-generated image to the Sony World Photography Awards 2023 and won the Creative category. He then revealed the image was created using AI generators and refused the award, alleging that the organisers did not disclose the AI origin despite being informed. The organisers issued a generic statement and did not engage in discussion. Eldagsen's action sparked a debate about AI in photography.
- Company involved
- World Photography Organisation (Sony World Photography Awards)
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Fake persona with AI-generated face spreads Hunter Biden conspiracy document
A 64-page document alleging a conspiracy involving Hunter Biden was attributed to a fake intelligence firm, Typhoon Investigations, and a fabricated analyst named Martin Aspen. The profile picture for Aspen was created using an AI face generator, as identified by researchers. The document was disseminated by associates of President Trump and far-right influencers, contributing to a disinformation campaign. The article reports that the document's authorship was questionable and that the persona was fabricated.
- Company involved
- Typhoon Investigations
- AI system involved
- AI face generator
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer uses AI to create controversial photo series
Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer used AI to create a photo series titled 'Putin's Dream' after a planned road trip to Russia was cancelled due to the war. He trained the AI with his own photographs to maintain his style. The images were posted online to promote the book, leading to outcry on social media and accusations of contributing to disinformation. De Keyzer deleted the images and had a conversation with Magnum about the project.
- Company involved
- Carl De Keyzer
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Apple's Enhanced Visual Search raises privacy concerns over default data sharing
Apple's iOS 18 update introduced an 'Enhanced Visual Search' feature that automatically shares encrypted photo data with Apple to identify landmarks. The feature is enabled by default, requiring users to manually opt out, which has sparked privacy concerns. Critics argue it should be opt-in, given Apple's usual privacy standards. The article reports on the feature's design and the resulting debate, not on any specific harm to an individual.
- Company involved
- Apple
- AI system involved
- Enhanced Visual Search
5 source articles · read the reporting →
AI image generators produce misleading election images, study finds
A study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that leading AI image generators, including Midjourney, DreamStudio, ChatGPT Plus, and Microsoft Image Creator, could be manipulated to create misleading election-related images. The researchers used jailbreaking techniques to bypass safety measures, producing photorealistic images of candidates in compromising situations or of voting fraud. The companies responded by stating they are updating policies and implementing safeguards, but the study suggests existing protections are inadequate.
- Company involved
- Midjourney, Stability AI, OpenAI, Microsoft
- AI system involved
- Midjourney, DreamStudio, ChatGPT Plus, Microsoft Image Creator
8 source articles · read the reporting →
MakeApp makeup removal app adds imperfections, causing controversy
MakeApp, an AI-powered app that digitally removes makeup from photos, has caused controversy by adding imperfections such as redness and dullness to users' faces. Users complained on Twitter that the app exacerbates insecurities and low self-esteem. The founder defended the app as an experiment, denying any intent to shame women.
- Company involved
- MakeApp
- AI system involved
- MakeApp
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Adobe Firefly generates historically inaccurate images of black Nazis and Vikings
Adobe's AI image generator Firefly produced historically inaccurate images, including black Nazis, black Vikings, and black Founding Fathers, when given basic prompts. The images, generated by DailyMail.com and Semafor, are similar to those that caused controversy for Google's Gemini. Adobe acknowledged the images were "inadvertently off base" and stated they are working to improve the model.
- Company involved
- Adobe
- AI system involved
- Adobe Firefly
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Late Night with the Devil directors confirm use of AI-generated images
The horror film 'Late Night with the Devil' used AI-generated images for three still interstitials. The directors confirmed the use after viewers noticed and criticized it online. The controversy highlights ongoing concerns about AI replacing human artists in entertainment.
8 source articles · read the reporting →
A24 faces backlash for using AI-generated images to promote 'Civil War'
Film studio A24 used AI-generated images to promote its dystopian film 'Civil War' on Instagram, without disclosing that the images were AI-generated. The images depicted iconic American locations in ruins, but contained inaccuracies typical of AI models. The public reacted with outrage, accusing A24 of devaluing artistry and failing to label AI content.
- Company involved
- A24
9 source articles · read the reporting →
