How fake Hurricane Milton AI images can have real consequences

AI-generated images and videos about Hurricane Milton might not just be annoying clickbait. They could also be connected to scams and disinformation campaigns.

In the aftermath of the category 3 hurricane that devastated parts of Florida, social media platforms like X, TikTok, and Facebook have been inundated with AI-generated content. Some AI-generated images and videos are easier to spot than others, like the obviously played-for-laughs image of a girl hugging an alligator on a boat in the pouring rain.

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Others are more convincing, like AI-generated images of a flooded Disney World that initially duped many — even getting shared by a Russian propaganda outlet.

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The outcome might just be the spread of disinformation, which is bad enough, but AI-generated internet trash is also used to lure people into scams.

SEE ALSO: How to identify AI-generated images

Hurricane Milton AI slop is everywhere

At this point many have seen the fake images of the Disney World walkways under water. But a quick scroll on TikTok shows AI-generated footage of Hurricane Milton wreaking havoc.

Some of the videos are labeled as AI-generated videos with hashtags or captions, but it's easy to imagine how they could be shared and exploited by someone else. Karen Panetta, IEEE fellow and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Tufts University, describes how AI-generated content can be weaponized to incite panic and confusion. "Less than 30 percent of our adult public understands what AI can do. So you can put some misinformation out to the general population with a scary headline, you're going to get a lot of people panicking," said Panetta.

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To be clear, the actual damage done by Hurricane Milton is devastatingly real. But when AI-generated content comes into play, it makes users question reality. That in turn can create mistrust and fertile ground for hurricane conspiracy theories. Case in point, one X user claimed the footage from NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick was fake, and even suggested Dominick wasn't in space. The footage has since been verified as authentic.

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But to add to the confusion, some satellite images claiming to be of Hurricane Milton were debunked by Snopes as being mis-captioned or AI-generated.

Beware of scams using AI-generated images

Aside from misinformation and disinformation in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, experts say to be vigilant about scams. The Federal Trade Commission issued a press release the day before Milton made landfall warning consumers to look out for "those looking to take advantage of natural disasters by engaging in potential fraud or price gouging."

And according to Panetta, scams like fake charities can make themselves more persuasive by using generative AI. "In any disaster there's always something that goes on where [scammers] try to set up web pages for fundraising that aren't legitimate," said Panetta. "What's happening now is that because of the easy access to AI-generated imagery, it's being used to add credibility and say, 'Look, it's not just me asking for money. Look how horrible this is.'"

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The viral AI-generated image of the little girl holding a puppy and crying in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene is a perfect example of how an image can pull on the heartstrings and evoke the desire to donate, even if it's fake. While savvy internet users might realize it's fake, others may not know and those people are easy targets for scams.

Some of the AI-generated images of Hurricane Milton might seem like innocuous instances of some kid eager to show off their generative AI skills. But that's not always the case. The false sense of innocence might be part of a way of getting people to let their guard down. "It's a whole strategy. How do I bait people in? And then once I have you convinced that I'm legitimate, there's an ask in there," said Panetta.

"There's always money at the end," she added.

While natural disasters like Hurricane Milton might make people exceptionally vulnerable, it's all the more vital to apply critical thinking and think twice before reacting to anything online. The FTC says scams will often insist on payment through wire transfer, gift card, payment app, cryptocurrency or in cash, and recommends looking at its resources on how to avoid scams after a weather emergency.