Experts warn AI images could distort citizen science records
Doctored photos of mantises and birds on iNaturalist have raised alarm that manipulated images could skew biological data.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
This story is no longer being updated. It reflects reporting up to .
What happened
Groups that run citizen science projects are contending with a surge of low-quality AI-generated content. They are setting up fresh safeguards to filter it out. Experts also warn that AI manipulation could distort biological records, pointing to doctored images of mantises and birds on iNaturalist.
Why it matters
The experts' warning suggests that biological records could become distorted by manipulated images. Groups are responding by building new defenses against the flood of AI content.
Timeline
- Oct 16, 5:02 AM ET: Citizen science groups begin adding safeguards to counter a flood of AI-made content.
- Oct 18, 3:00 AM ET: Experts warn that AI manipulation could distort biological records, citing doctored mantis and bird photos on iNaturalist.
Coverage
- AI-Generated Images Threaten Citizen Science Data (Song Hye-jin)
- Citizen Science Groups Grapple With the Rise of A.I. Slop (The New York Times)
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