• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Technology
  4. AI-generated image of Pentagon blast sparks brief dip in stock market
Technology

AI-generated image of Pentagon blast sparks brief dip in stock market

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 23 May 08:20

The fake photo, which initially emerged on Facebook, depicted a massive column of smoke outside the US military headquarters in Virginia.

  • The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, U.S., March 3, 2022, more than a week after Russia invaded Ukraine. (Reuters)
    The Pentagon as seen from the air in Washington, US, on March 3, 2022 (Reuters)

A fabricated image of an explosion near the Pentagon went viral on social media Monday morning, temporarily driving US markets down in what might be the first instance of an AI-generated image affecting the market.

When the photo went viral shortly after 10 am New York time, the S&P 500 fell by around 0.3% to a session low. The index immediately recovered once it was revealed that the image was fake.

The fake photo, which initially emerged on Facebook, depicted a massive column of smoke outside the US military headquarters in Virginia, according to a Facebook user.

It quickly spread on Twitter accounts with millions of followers, including the financial news site ZeroHedge.

According to an email from a Pentagon duty officer to Bloomberg, there were no reported occurrences Monday morning. Arlington Police Department likewise stated, "There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public."

@PFPAOfficial and the ACFD are aware of a social media report circulating online about an explosion near the Pentagon. There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public. pic.twitter.com/uznY0s7deL

— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) May 22, 2023

Before government sources refuted it and the Twitter accounts that propagated it, people pointed out that the image may have been generated by artificial intelligence.

Nick Waters, a researcher at the open-source intelligence group Bellingcat, stated as quoted by Bloomberg that the “shock” of hearing about a rumored blast near the Pentagon led him to inspect the image.

“Check out the frontage of the building, and the way the fence melds into the crowd barriers,” he said on Twitter. “There’s also no other images, videos or people posting as first hand witnesses.”

Confident that this picture claiming to show an "explosion near the pentagon" is AI generated.

Check out the frontage of the building, and the way the fence melds into the crowd barriers. There's also no other images, videos or people posting as first hand witnesses. pic.twitter.com/t1YKQabuNL

— Nick Waters (@N_Waters89) May 22, 2023

As the truth became known, the Twitter accounts responsible for spreading the image began to remove their posts or make corrections. 

While the image's origins are unknown, the belief that it was made by AI has heightened fears that developing technologies that make it simple to manufacture photos and other material may hasten the spread of disinformation.

  • AI
  • Pentagon
  • Explosion
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Fake photo
  • US

Trending Now

All
sfrszee

AI drone 'kills' simulation operator stopping it from completing order

Most Read

The Middle East Stabilises, Against the Backdrop of a Great Unravelling

The Middle East Stabilises, Against the Backdrop of a Great Unravelling

  • Analysis
  • 28 May
In this image released by the Italian firefighters, a helicopter searches for missing passengers after a tourist boat capsized in a storm on Italy's Lago Maggiore in the northern Lombardy region, May 28, 2023 (AP)

Top Israeli intelligence official dead in Italy: Israeli media

  • Europe
  • 29 May
US linguist Noam Chomsky, who was among 550 academics who signed the petition calling on Glasgow University to respect free speech (AFP)

Chomsky: EU will deindustrialize if it abides by US-run world order

  • Europe
  • 31 May
Saudi Arabia's Hawiyah Natural Gas Liquids Recovery Plant which is operated by ARAMCO. (AP)

Tensions between Riyadh and Moscow on the rise due to oil prices: WSJ

  • MENA
  • 28 May

Read this

All
Pop artist Andy Warhol in New York, the United States, 1976 (AP)
US & Canada

Art dealer sentenced to 25 months for selling fake Andy Warhol works

  • 1 Jun
Former President Donald Trump watches the first round of the LIV Golf Tournament at Trump National Golf Club, Friday, May 26, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (AP)
US & Canada

New tape leaked of Trump speaking of classified information: CNN

  • 1 Jun
Hamid Nouri
MENA

Hamid Nouri breaks record for solitary confinement in Sweden

  • 1 Jun
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy listens at a news conference after the House passed the debt ceiling bill at the Capitol in Washington, May 31, 2023 (AP)
US & Canada

Debt ceiling bill overwhelmingly passes US House

  • 1 Jun
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS