Flood of AI images blurs what's real on Facebook

+ techno-optimism explained US Edition - Today's top story: From shrimp Jesus to fake self-portraits, AI-generated images have become the latest form of social media spam [View in browser]( US Edition | 24 April 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Why aid to Ukraine means a win for the US]( - [Putting a lens on soaring nearsightedness]( - [The gender-bending cult of goddess Cybele]( Lead story If you’ve recently spent any time on Facebook, you may have noticed strange images popping up on your feed: Jesus on a cruise ship; photorealistic images of children asking viewers to “rate my painting”; dinosaurs in Viking hats drinking out of steins at a beer hall. AI scholars Renee DiResta, Josh A. Goldstein and Abhiram Reddy [recently studied the proliferation of AI-generated images on over 100 Facebook pages](. They realized that most of the people in the comments didn’t seem to grasp that they were looking at fakes, and the spammers who created the posts would often try to bait users into clicking links. These AI-generated images, the scholars note, are “visually appealing and cheap to produce, allowing scammers and spammers to generate high volumes of engaging posts.” Furthermore, Facebook’s algorithm seems to be promoting these images, which carry no markers alerting people that they are AI generated. “Shrimp Jesus may be an obvious fake,” they write. “But the challenge of assessing what’s real is only heating up.” [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor Many of the AI images generated by spammers and scammers have religious themes. immortal70/iStock via Getty Images [From shrimp Jesus to fake self-portraits, AI-generated images have become the latest form of social media spam]( Renee DiResta, Stanford University; Abhiram Reddy, Georgetown University; Josh A. Goldstein, Georgetown University Visually appealing and cheap to produce, AI-generated images allow scammers and spammers to post high volumes of engaging content − and Facebook’s algorithm may be promoting these posts. Economy + Business - [Supreme Court appears open to Starbucks’ claims in labor-organizing case]( Michael Z. Green, Texas A&M University The case stems from a complaint filed after seven baristas who were attempting to organize a union at a Starbucks shop in Memphis, Tenn., were fired. Environment + Energy - [How trains linked rival port cities along the US East Coast into a cultural and economic megalopolis]( David Alff, University at Buffalo Love it or hate it, the ‘Acela Corridor’ has developed a widely recognized identity thanks to the trains that link it together. Politics + Society - [Senate approves nearly $61B of Ukraine foreign aid − here’s why it helps the US to keep funding Ukraine]( Tatsiana Kulakevich, University of South Florida President Joe Biden is expected to soon sign the total $95 billion foreign aid package that covers Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. Science + Technology - [What is ‘techno-optimism’? 2 technology scholars explain the ideology that says technology is the answer to every problem]( Seyram Avle, UMass Amherst; Jean Hardy, Michigan State University Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen is one of this concept’s biggest enthusiasts. - [For millions of Americans, high-speed internet is unavailable or unaffordable − a telecommunications expert explains how to bring broadband to the places that need it the most]( Christopher Ali, Penn State Affordable access to high-speed internet brings educational opportunities, economic development and better access to health professionals. Ethics + Religion - [Gender-nonconforming ancient Romans found refuge in community dedicated to goddess Cybele]( Tina Chronopoulos, Binghamton University, State University of New York In ancient Rome, male followers of the goddess Cybele, known as Galli, some of whom surgically removed their testicles, were often considered feminine. Health + Medicine - [Nearsightedness is at epidemic levels – and the problem begins in childhood]( Andrew Herbert, Rochester Institute of Technology While reading, scrolling and focusing on other objects near our faces increase the risk of developing myopia, a little time outdoors in the sun can help mitigate it. - [Do implicit bias trainings on race improve health care? Not yet – but incorporating the latest science can help hospitals treat all patients equitably]( Nao Hagiwara, University of Virginia; Tiffany Green, University of Wisconsin-Madison Many Black patients experience stark differences in how they’re treated during medical interactions compared to white patients. Trending on site - [Billions of cicadas are about to emerge from underground in a rare double-brood convergence]( - [Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents]( - [What I teach Harvard Law School students about opening arguments]( Today's graphic 📈 [A chart showing global sources of methane emissions. Wetlands produce 194 Mt (metric tons). Agriculture produces 141.4 Mt. Energy produces 135.2 Mt. Waste produces 73 Mt. ‘Other’ produces 39 Mt. Biomass burning produces 7.3 Mt.]( From the story, [More climate-warming methane leaks into the atmosphere than ever gets reported – here’s how satellites can find the leaks and avoid wasting a valuable resource]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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