“The 360” gives you a different perspective on the day’s top stories and debates.
what’s happening
Pope Francis praised his fashion sense online last weekend, thanks to the 86-year-old pope in an ultra-stylish white puffy coat.
The only problem is that the images are fake. It was created using an artificial intelligence program called.
Midjourney and other AI image creators have been around for a while, but until recently even their most convincing output was relatively easy to prove to be fake. But the latest versions of these tools are great at fixing problems that used to be a telltale sign that an image wasn’t real.
The “swagged-out pope” isn’t the only AI-generated image that has recently made headlines online. A series of artificial photos depicting his arrest were widely shared after news broke earlier this month that he was likely to be indicted by a New York grand jury. It also happened with a fake image of someone being spoken to.
The images of Trump and Macron are flawed enough that it’s relatively easy for anyone to take a closer look and see that they aren’t real. But their presence, along with the fact that the Pope’s photo was able to fool many people, quickly became powerful enough for AI to create fake news images indistinguishable from reality. It raises a lot of concern about what that might mean.
why the debate
So that the stylish pope’s false image is finally harmless, it has been called ‘the first real public level’ It shows the power of artificial intelligence to create compelling depictions of events that never happened.
Many experts say it’s easy to see how the growing power of AI could cause serious societal harm when applied to more serious problems. They argue that with misinformation already rife online, AI will soon become a powerful tool for those seeking to manipulate the public’s understanding of reality. They also say that the knowledge that the photos can be artificial undermines public trust in real news sources and gives criminals the opportunity to claim that images showing actual wrongdoings are hoaxes. Some people
But not everyone is so worried. They say the frivolity of the pope’s image is the main reason it went viral. Others argue that the public has become so accustomed to the existence of fake news that most people know to fact-check articles they see online. It’s also hoped that growing concerns about AI will prompt the companies behind Image’s creators and social media companies to establish guardrails to protect the public or even push Congress to pass new laws. It has been.
what’s next
Misinformation isn’t the only concern about the rapid development of AI. Also, AI-generated art can become too advanced and out of control.
perspective
Even if most AI images are harmless or easily spotted, only one causes real damage
“As widely available AI image generators rapidly become more sophisticated, their creation may outstrip our ability to adapt to a flood of believable yet utterly false imagery. Many are harmless, but it’s not hard to imagine how synthetic images could manipulate public knowledge about current or past events.” —Amanda Silverling,
People scrutinize important news more
“Pope Francis Rudd Parker fooled savvy viewers by depicting a low-risk news event. It was depicting an expected news event that would have had profound political and cultural repercussions, and not just keep scrolling after seeing a former president tackled to the ground.” — Charlie Worzel,
AI makes us skeptical of even real news.
“We see pictures of real politicians on social media and half suspect they are fake. AI tools will make many of us skeptical. , they could spearhead a new misinformation crisis.” — Parmy Olson
AI images are part of a larger experiment that tech companies are conducting with the public without any rules.
“I think this is an example of the broader problem of technology being forced into our society without oversight, regulation or standards. I’m left without understanding how it works and for what purpose and with what results
the. “— Elinor Carmi of his data literacy researcher
The public is already ready to treat everything they see online with skepticism
“Should we fear a new flood of AI misinformation that makes it impossible to distinguish fact from fiction online? Fact-checkers and journalists are prepared for such scenarios in my opinion.” — Alex Mahadevan
Fake photos have been possible for years, but AI efficiency is a game changer
“There are very clear incentives and benefits to fooling people with AI-generated images. Posting photoshopped sharks on the road could lead to the same monetizable chaos, but now you can generate countless variations of sharks swimming down countless highways, and you can do it in seconds. can be done.” — , Technology Industry Writer
AI images give conspiracy theorists the power to reject the truth
“Advancements in generative AI mean that fake but visually compelling content will proliferate online, leading to an even more chaotic information ecosystem. It will be easier to dismiss actual video evidence of anything from violence and human rights violations to the burning of classified documents by world leaders as fake.” — Hany Farid
There is no real way to hold the bad guys accountable
“Who is ultimately responsible for the consequences of such fake images? As AI technology rapidly outstrips regulation, liability for fake images remains a murky area, largely reserved for private companies. It’s at your discretion.” — Diego Lasarte
All depends on safeguards being developed before AI truly becomes indistinguishable from reality
“There is an ongoing race to find some sort of solution to this problem before AI-generated images are good enough. I have an idea.” — Sarah Morrison
With the right rules and preparation, AI images can make a huge contribution to society
“If we look at global problems and try to solve local problems alongside AI education and law, this kind of technological rise can be achieved without some sort of bogging down of society. Oh my god, we might be able to use all sorts of AI generators for fun and harmless activities, but without taking the proper precautions, can this technology drag us into complete surrealism? Who knows what would happen if you let
AI is far better at creating joy than spreading misinformation.
“Yeah, suddenly it seems all too obvious how easily artificial intelligence can be used to create propaganda, how easily it can be weaponized as a tool of destabilization. The case makes clear that AI can and will be used for similar purposes to create surreal cartoons.” —Ashley Fetters-Malloy and Anne Branigin,
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Photo Illustration: Jack Forbes/Yahoo News; Photo: @SaffhoArtSht/Midjourney via Twitter (2), Pablo Xavier/Midjourney via Reddit
