The 'Faces of Poverty' Created by AI... Controversy Over Side Effects of Generative AI Images

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology rapidly spreads throughout daily life, its side effects are also becoming increasingly apparent. Fake images generated by AI have been used in promotional campaigns by humanitarian organizations, while on platforms like TikTok, the spread of fake AI videos has even led to police being dispatched.

AI image used by the charity Plan International in the campaign against child marriage. YouTube

원본보기 아이콘

Recently, the British daily The Guardian pointed out, "Fake 'poverty porn' images created by AI are being used in humanitarian organizations' campaigns," adding, "Amid various concerns, the principles of human rights protection are being undermined." According to the report, AI images are favored among humanitarian organizations because they are inexpensive to produce and do not require consent for portrait rights. Some organizations are depicting the realities of poverty and hunger by using AI-generated virtual characters instead of real people. AI images of children crouching in mud or African girls in wedding dresses have appeared in actual campaigns.

Regarding this, Arsenii Alenichev, a researcher at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, described it as 'poverty porn.' He argued that poverty is being used as a tool to evoke emotions. Alenichev stated, "Typical 'symbols of poverty,' such as children holding empty plates or cracked earth, are being repeated," and added, "These images are reproducing the worst stereotypes about Africa, India, and other regions."

In the past, major charities have also used AI images for promotional purposes. The Netherlands branch of the British charity Plan International used AI-generated images such as 'a girl with a bruised eye' and 'an older man with a pregnant teenage girl' in a 2023 campaign video against child marriage. The United Nations (UN) also released an AI video on YouTube last year that reenacted testimonies of survivors of sexual violence during conflicts. However, the video was eventually deleted after controversy arose that it blurred the line between fact and fiction, thereby undermining the truthfulness of the information.

Kate Kardol, a communications consultant for international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), also commented, "The stage on which we must fight for ethical representation has now expanded from 'reality' to the 'fake world,'" adding, "Human rights sensibilities in the AI era are facing a serious test."

The recent viral trend on social media, the 'AI Homeless' prank. TikTok

원본보기 아이콘

The misuse of AI images has penetrated into individuals' daily lives. As anyone can now easily create images using AI, the boundary between reality and virtuality has become blurred. This has raised concerns that AI could lead to crime or social disorder. In fact, according to the BBC, a recent trend on social networking services (SNS) involves the 'AI homeless man' prank, prompting police to issue warnings. This involves sending family members images made with AI that depict a strange man breaking into the house. These images are created using generative AI tools such as Google's Gemini and are highly sophisticated, resembling real photographs.

There have been cases where such pranks have led to actual emergency calls. In Dorset, southwest England, a teenage girl sent her parents a message saying, "This man came into our house and refuses to leave," along with an AI-generated image. The parents mistook this for a real break-in and reported it to the police, resulting in an emergency response. The police later stated, "Valuable resources that could have been used for real emergencies were deployed," and advised, "If you receive such images or messages from family or friends, check first to see if it is a prank before dialing 999 (the UK emergency number)." At Oak Harbor High School in Washington State, USA, a social media post claimed that a homeless person was wandering around the school, but an investigation revealed it was an AI-manipulated image.

As such incidents occur, warnings about the risks of fraud or manipulation using AI are growing louder. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said in an interview on 'The Economic and Social Impact of AI' held by the Federal Reserve in July, "AI has already completely neutralized most authentication methods," and added, "Currently, scams are being carried out through voice calls using AI, but soon, video calls indistinguishable from reality will appear."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.