Artificial intelligence-generated videos and images claiming to show dramatic events — such as ICE agents fatally shooting people in Minneapolis or the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces — have flooded social media feeds, making it increasingly difficult for people to tell what is real versus fabricated. These AI fakes range from deepfake videos and enhanced stills to entirely fabricated scenes that appear shockingly realistic, leading to widespread misinformation being shared before credible sources can verify facts.
In Minneapolis, social posts purporting to show Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents engaging in violent acts or bizarre pursuits were generated by AI tools and quickly went viral, despite no evidence that such footage was real — including humorous AI-made clips showing agents chasing a giant animated object through downtown, which were later fact-checked as not genuine. Experts warn that these AI fakes erode trust in legitimate visual media and can distort public understanding of serious real events, such as the actual video of Alex Pretti’s confrontation with federal agents.
Similarly, around Venezuela, AI-generated photos and videos depicting scenes tied to Maduro’s alleged capture — including emotionally charged images of crowds celebrating or Maduro in custody — were shared millions of times before newsrooms could confirm details. Independent analysis has shown that many of these visuals were created with AI image generators and had no basis in verified reporting, highlighting how quickly misinformation can spread in the early hours of a breaking story.
Experts say the growing prevalence of such AI-generated content underscores the importance of media literacy and careful verification. They recommend looking to accredited news outlets with authentication processes, checking original source material, and being skeptical of sensational visuals shared on social platforms — especially when the source isn’t clearly credible — because the technology now makes it easy for anyone to generate highly convincing fake media.
