AI creates chaos in social search for Kirk's killer

A few hours after the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, the FBI released blurry photos of the alleged killer online. Since then, as The Verge reports, users have been using artificial intelligence tools to enhance the images. "AI tools don't uncover secret details in a blurry image, but they infer what might be there," The Verge writes, "even creating elements that aren't actually there." Major smartphones today integrate AI tools into their photo apps, allowing users to delete or add content to images in minutes.

According to research by The Verge, on social media X and online forums, there are dozens of AI-generated graphics based on photos released by the FBI, which show what the face of a person of interest might look like, even down to the color of their eyes. Many variations come from Grok, X's AI, others from ChatGpt. "It's unlikely that any of these photos are actually useful to the FBI," The Verge continues, "they're more likely to be used to get easy likes."

The state of Utah later released clearer images of the young man, revealing more details, from his backpack to his shoes. Relying on AI chatbots to find information about the killer is, in some cases, producing misinformation. The Hindu reports examples of responses from Grok and ChatGpt, claiming the killer is a Utah Democrat named Michael Mallinson. The chatbots attribute the information, a hoax, to CNN and the New York Times. "News stories often trigger a frantic search for new information on social media," The Hindu writes, "leading to false conclusions that chatbots then repeat, further fueling the chaos."