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Incident 817: AI-Generated Images Spread Misinformation During Hurricane Helene Response

Description: During Hurricane Helene (September 24-29, 2024), AI-generated images circulated on social media, misleading the public and hindering disaster response efforts. Fake images, including animals stranded on rooftops and political figures in floodwaters, added confusion and disrupted emergency management. The spread of these images exacerbated existing challenges, including power outages and communication failures, all of which led to complications providing accurate information to those in need.
Editor Notes: Motives for the misinformation seemed partisan in nature, while some appeared opportunistic and fraudulent.

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Alleged: Unknown deepfake technology developers developed an AI system deployed by Unknown deepfake creators and Partisan social media influencers, which harmed Hurricane Helene victims , General public , Emergency responders and Communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Incident Stats

Incident ID
817
Report Count
8
Incident Date
2024-09-24
Editors
Applied Taxonomies
MIT

MIT Taxonomy Classifications

Machine-Classified
Taxonomy Details

Risk Subdomain

A further 23 subdomains create an accessible and understandable classification of hazards and harms associated with AI
 

3.1. False or misleading information

Risk Domain

The Domain Taxonomy of AI Risks classifies risks into seven AI risk domains: (1) Discrimination & toxicity, (2) Privacy & security, (3) Misinformation, (4) Malicious actors & misuse, (5) Human-computer interaction, (6) Socioeconomic & environmental harms, and (7) AI system safety, failures & limitations.
 
  1. Misinformation

Entity

Which, if any, entity is presented as the main cause of the risk
 

Human

Timing

The stage in the AI lifecycle at which the risk is presented as occurring
 

Post-deployment

Intent

Whether the risk is presented as occurring as an expected or unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal
 

Intentional

Incident Reports

Reports Timeline

Incident Occurrence+3
How Hurricane Helene Deepfakes Flooding Social Media Hurt Real People
Heartbreaking images or something else? AI-generated deepfakes of Hurricane Helene victims go viralFake Hurricane Helene Images Go Viral, Experts DisAI 'deepfakes' of Hurricane Helene victims circulate on social mediaAI-generated images have become a new form of propaganda this election season
How Hurricane Helene Deepfakes Flooding Social Media Hurt Real People

How Hurricane Helene Deepfakes Flooding Social Media Hurt Real People

forbes.com

The Fog of Disaster Is Getting Worse

The Fog of Disaster Is Getting Worse

theatlantic.com

AI ‘deepfakes’ of Hurricane Helene victims circulate on social media, ‘hurt real people’

AI ‘deepfakes’ of Hurricane Helene victims circulate on social media, ‘hurt real people’

nypost.com

Deepfake images of Hurricane Helene disrupt relief efforts, fuels misinformation

Deepfake images of Hurricane Helene disrupt relief efforts, fuels misinformation

tribune.com.pk

Heartbreaking images or something else? AI-generated deepfakes of Hurricane Helene victims go viral

Heartbreaking images or something else? AI-generated deepfakes of Hurricane Helene victims go viral

wionews.com

Fake Hurricane Helene Images Go Viral, Experts Dis

Fake Hurricane Helene Images Go Viral, Experts Dis

newswise.com

AI 'deepfakes' of Hurricane Helene victims circulate on social media

AI 'deepfakes' of Hurricane Helene victims circulate on social media

audacy.com

AI-generated images have become a new form of propaganda this election season

AI-generated images have become a new form of propaganda this election season

npr.org

How Hurricane Helene Deepfakes Flooding Social Media Hurt Real People
forbes.com · 2024

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Asheville, North Carolina and other impacted regions were flooded with water, while fake generative AI images of destruction and human suffering flooded social media.

These doctored or faked visuals can…

The Fog of Disaster Is Getting Worse
theatlantic.com · 2024

Keeping track of events during a natural disaster was hard enough in the past, before people with dubious motives started flooding social media with sensational images generated by artificial intelligence. In a crisis, public officials, fir…

AI ‘deepfakes’ of Hurricane Helene victims circulate on social media, ‘hurt real people’
nypost.com · 2024

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, misinformation has flooded the internet, including two doctored AI images of a desperate, sobbing child aboard a boat in supposed floodwaters.

At first glance, the photos floating around online simply show a…

Deepfake images of Hurricane Helene disrupt relief efforts, fuels misinformation
tribune.com.pk · 2024

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, AI-generated deepfake images depicting scenes of devastation and human suffering have flooded social media, raising alarm among experts.

These false visuals are not only spreading confusion but are also…

Heartbreaking images or something else? AI-generated deepfakes of Hurricane Helene victims go viral
wionews.com · 2024

Just days after Hurricane Helene hit the United States, a wave of misinformation has flooded the internet. Among it are two digitally manipulated images that supposedly show a distraught child in a boat amidst floodwaters. 

At first glance,…

Fake Hurricane Helene Images Go Viral, Experts Dis
newswise.com · 2024

Newswise — Thousands of well-meaning social media users have been sharing photos supposedly depicting the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s destruction that have turned out to be fake images generated by artificial intelligence (AI). These fa…

AI 'deepfakes' of Hurricane Helene victims circulate on social media
audacy.com · 2024

Before you go donating to hurricane relief efforts, beware: Those heart wrenching images of survivors you see on social media might not be real at all.

The Better Business Bureau is out with a new warning that some people are using artifici…

AI-generated images have become a new form of propaganda this election season
npr.org · 2024

After images of the devastation left by Hurricane Helene started to spread online, so too did an image of a crying child holding a puppy on a boat. Some of the posts on X (formerly Twitter) showing the image received millions of views.

It p…

Variants

A "variant" is an incident that shares the same causative factors, produces similar harms, and involves the same intelligent systems as a known AI incident. Rather than index variants as entirely separate incidents, we list variations of incidents under the first similar incident submitted to the database. Unlike other submission types to the incident database, variants are not required to have reporting in evidence external to the Incident Database. Learn more from the research paper.

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