A faulty subway line in Greece's second-largest city recently became the subject of an artificial intelligence-generated image, causing confusion on social media.
Agence France-Presse reported some users unwittingly shared a digitally created picture that supposedly showed the aftermath of Thessaloniki's new metro system malfunctioning.
Αυξημένη η επιβατική κίνηση στα τούνελ του #μετρο_θεσσαλονικης pic.twitter.com/PiJItLI8tu
— Γιάννης Βανάκος (@VanakosJ) December 14, 2024
The nation's first fully automated rapid transit system came to a standstill on Dec. 14 — just over two weeks after it opened to the public — forcing passengers to evacuate carriages on foot through a tunnel to reach the next station.
Legitimate videos and photos of people exiting in a single-file line on an elevated platform next to the rail began circulating on Facebook and Greek media outlets.
However, an AI-created image of a mass exodus of riders walking shoulder-to-shoulder in what appeared to be a packed tunnel soon made its rounds as well. One post that used the screenshot was even shared over a thousand times, per the AFP.
While the news agency noted the image bore no resemblance to Thessaloniki metro stations, it still seemed to fool many online. "They all move like sheep," one person wrote, while another said, "Tragic image."
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The AFP used a reverse image search to find the source of the photo, a website called StockCake. The AI-generated picture, titled "Crowded tunnel commute," depicts "a daily routine of urban life, with each individual engrossed in their journey amidst the hustle and bustle."
The AFP also found that hovering over the "AI Generated" button on the page with a cursor revealed a disclaimer: "All photos on StockCake are generated by AI. AI can make mistakes. Consider checking important information."
AI-produced content has drawn plenty of criticism recently, as many have contended that relying on the tech has negative consequences, including the proliferation of misinformation and the undermining of artwork created by humans.
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And while AI has helped with everything from animal conservation projects to food insecurity, concerns about its energy-intensive processes that pollute the environment will remain until researchers find more sustainable solutions.
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