AI-generated images and videos about Hurricane Milton may not be just annoying clickbait. They may also be linked to fraud and disinformation campaigns.
After a category 3 hurricane that devastated parts of Florida, social media platforms like X, TikTok, and Facebook are flooded with AI content. Some AI-generated images and videos are easier to spot than others, such as the clearly staged photo of a girl hugging a crocodile on a boat in the rain.
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Some are more convincing, like the AI-generated images of a flooded Disney World that initially fooled many – and were even shared by Russian propaganda.
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The result may just be the spread of unintended information, which is bad enough, but AI-generated internet junk is also being used to lure people into scams.
How to identify AI-generated images
Hurricane Milton AI slop is everywhere
At this point many have seen fake pictures of Disney World walkways underwater. But a quick scroll on TikTok shows AI-generated videos of Hurricane Milton wreaking havoc.
Some videos are labeled as AI-generated videos with hashtags or captions, but it’s easy to imagine how they can be shared and exploited by someone else. Karen Panetta, an IEEE fellow and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Tufts University, explains how AI-generated content can be harnessed to cause panic and confusion. “Less than 30 percent of our adult population understands what AI can do. So if you can put the wrong information on the general public with a scary topic, you’re going to get a lot of people scared,” said Panetta.
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To be clear, the actual damage caused by Hurricane Milton is tragically real. But when AI-generated content starts working, it makes users question reality. That in turn can create mistrust and fertile ground for conspiracy theories. For example, one X user claimed that a video from NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick was fake, and even suggested that Dominick was not in space. The video has been verified as authentic.
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But to add to the confusion, some satellite images purporting to be of Hurricane Milton were dismissed by Snopes as mis-captioned or AI-generated.
Beware of scams using AI-generated images
Despite the misinformation and disinformation in the wake of Hurricane Milton, experts say we should be wary of scams. The Federal Trade Commission issued a press release the day before Milton warning consumers to beware of “those seeking to take advantage of natural disasters by engaging in potential fraud or price gouging.”
And according to Panetta, scams like fake charities could be made more attractive by using artificial intelligence. “In any disaster there is always something happening there [scammers] try to set up web pages for illegal fundraising,” Panetta said. “What’s happening now is that because of the easy access to AI-generated images, it’s being used to add credibility and say, ‘Look, it’s not just. I am asking for money. Look how bad this is.’
An AI-generated viral photo of a little girl holding a puppy and crying after Hurricane Helene is a perfect example of how an image can tug at the heartstrings and spark a desire to donate, even if it’s fake. While savvy internet users may recognize it as a scam, others may not and those people are easy targets for scams.
Some of the AI-generated images of Hurricane Milton may seem like innocent adventures of some kids eager to show off their AI-generated skills. But that’s not always the case. A false sense of innocence may be part of the way to make people let their guard down. “It’s a whole plan. How do I get people in? And then once I’ve confirmed that I’m legitimate, there’s a question,” Panetta said.
“There is always money in the end,” he added.
Although natural disasters like Hurricane Milton can make people more vulnerable, it is very important to use critical thinking and think twice before reacting to anything online. The FTC says scams will often insist on payment via wire transfer, gift card, payment app, cryptocurrency or cash, and recommends checking out its resources on how to avoid scams after a weather emergency.
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