The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has sparked a surge in AI-generated misinformation, with fake videos and images flooding social media platforms. AI-generated videos simulating missile strikes, destruction and military might have been shared, often with misleading captions. For instance, a video claiming to show "doomsday in Tel Aviv" was actually created using AI and had been shared before the latest conflict.
Old or unrelated footage has been passed off as recent events, such as a video of drone attacks on Kyiv being shared as an Iranian drone strike on Tel Aviv. Fake images of destroyed passenger planes and missile launches have been created using AI tools, with visual glitches and inconsistencies revealing their artificial nature.
AI chatbots like Grok on X have struggled to fact-check the conflict accurately, sometimes insisting AI-generated videos are real and citing reputable media outlets. Verification efforts are complicated by the use of AI-generated content, nighttime scenes and lack of clear sources.
The conflict marks the first time generative AI has been used at such scale during a war, with millions of views and shares. Social media platforms like TikTok and X are working to combat misinformation, with TikTok removing fake content and claiming to work with independent fact-checkers. Researchers warn that disinformation thrives in conflicts with emotionally charged narratives, making it essential to critically evaluate online content.
