An AI-enhanced image purporting to capture the unsettling moments preceding the fatal shooting of an American nurse by immigration agents gained significant traction on the internet, eventually reaching the esteemed halls of the US Senate.
Graphic footage depicting the tragic incident—where 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis—has incited widespread indignation across the nation.
According to AI specialists consulted by AFP, a specific frame from this grainy footage was digitally manipulated using artificial intelligence.
The altered image, which allegedly shows Pretti encircled by officers with one aiming a firearm at his head, proliferated quickly across various social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, X, and Threads. Notably, the image featured multiple digital anomalies, such as a headless immigration agent.
Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, expressed his outrage on X, stating, “I am on the Senate floor to condemn the killing of US citizens at the hands of federal immigration officers.” He shared a video of his speech wherein he exhibited the AI-modified image.
He further demanded accountability from the Trump Administration for its actions.
In the comments section of his post, numerous users on X called for an apology from Durbin for promoting the altered image. On the following day, Durbin’s office conceded to the error.
A spokesperson from Durbin’s office remarked, “Our team utilized a photo that had gained wide circulation online. Sadly, staff were unaware until later that the image had been slightly altered, and we regret this oversight.”
– ‘Advancing an Agenda’ –
This incident highlights the pervasive infiltration of hyper-realistic AI visuals—despite their conspicuous mistakes—into mainstream discussions, creating disarray amid rapidly developing news events and shaping political discourse at the highest echelons.
The AI-enhanced image also precipitated erroneous claims among social media users alleging that an object in Pretti’s right hand was a firearm; however, an examination of the verified footage revealed that he was merely holding a phone.
This analysis directly contradicted assertions from officials within President Donald Trump’s administration who alleged that Pretti posed a threat to the agents.
Disinformation watchdog NewsGuard articulated that utilizing AI tools to augment details in witness footage can generate fabrications that “distort reality, serving to promote an agenda.”
In their report, NewsGuard stated, “AI tools are increasingly employed on social media to ‘enhance’ unclear images during critical news events.”
Moreover, they warned that AI ‘enhancements’ can construct fictitious faces, weapons, and other pivotal details not present in the original footage—or in reality.
This trend underscores a novel digital paradigm wherein fabricated images—created or altered through artificial intelligence—often achieve viral status on social media shortly after significant news occurrences, particularly shootings.
“Even subtle alterations to an individual’s appearance can significantly influence how an image is perceived, rendering it more favorable or less so,” remarked Walter Scheirer of the University of Notre Dame, with specific reference to the distorted image presented in the Senate.
“Previously, generating lifelike visuals necessitated considerable effort. However, with AI technology, this can now be accomplished instantaneously, making such content readily available to political figures at will.”
On Friday, the Trump administration leveled civil rights charges against prominent journalist Don Lemon and others over their coverage of immigration demonstrations in Minneapolis, while the President labeled Pretti an “agitator.”
Pretti’s death represents the second violent incident involving a Minneapolis protester shot by federal agents within the same month.
Earlier, a surge of AI deepfakes inundated online platforms in the aftermath of another protester’s death—37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.
AFP identified numerous social media posts in which users disseminated AI-generated images purportedly aiming to “unmask” the agent responsible for her shooting.
Some users on X leveraged the AI chatbot Grok to digitally alter an old photo of Good.
Source link: Iosconews.com.
