Kearney Archway, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — The messages circulated around social media, the Archway Monument that stands over Interstate 80 had collapsed…or had it? It was yet another instance of an AI generated image or video causing a blur between fact and fiction.
The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office noted that their dispatch had received several calls on Tuesday, Dec. 2 regarding an online image claiming the Archway Monument had collapsed and blocked I-80.
“Whatever is circulating online looks like AI having a little too much fun – the real Archway hasn’t moved an inch,” the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office stated.
This incident follows close on the heels of another AI generated video seemingly showing Grand Island’s Mayor Roger Steele banning Christmas lights.
“It marks a quantum leap from a few years ago, when creating phony photos, videos or audio clips required teams of people with time, technical skill and money. Now, using free and low-cost generative artificial intelligence services from companies like Google and OpenAI, anyone can create high-quality “deepfakes” with just a simple text prompt,” according to an article by the Associated Press.
“The novelty and sophistication of the technology makes it hard to track who is behind AI deepfakes. Experts say governments and companies are not yet capable of stopping the deluge, nor are they moving fast enough to solve the problem,” the AP article stated.
