There was once a time when our parents and grandparents were the first to warn us about the dangers of believing everything we see on the internet. But as AI technology evolves, blurring the line between fact and fiction, it seems the tables have turned.
Older generations, once the gatekeepers of scepticism, are now falling victim to hyper-realistic AI-generated content, raising new questions about media literacy in the digital age.
In a viral clip shared to TikTok by user @funtanyl, the TikToker's dad is seen looking at an exotic landscape on the TV.
"I want to see where that is," he tells his son and wife, before being told it isn't real.
"Would you be quiet so I can hear where it is," the dad snaps back.
After trying to convince him that the image is very clearly AI-generated, the dad turns to his computer to Google the supposed location.
In the caption, the creator highlights his concerns for people "who are out of their depth with this AI content".
"We’re all vulnerable to it at different levels I think but this is a particularly insane example of it," he continued. "I hear Facebook is also full of baby boomers completely gullible to AI content and it’s really sad how unequipped for this media landscape and how vulnerable so many people are to it as well."
@funtanyl I feel so badly for so many people who are out of their depth with this AI content. We’re all vulnerable to it at different levels i think but this is a particularly insane example of it. I hear facebook is also full of baby boomers completely guilble to AI content and it’s really sad how unequiped for this media landscape and how vulnerable so many people are to it as wel.
The clip racked up a staggering 4.5 million views and thousands more comments, with one humouring: "They get SO MAD when you point it out."
Another penned: "How did they go from 'don’t believe everything you see online' to believing literally EVERYTHING they see online."
Meanwhile, a third chimed in: "This is actually super sad."
Tech expert Jordan Parkes offered a helping hand when it comes to AI-generated content.
"It’s getting really harder to tell if you’re chatting with a real person or AI," Jordan explained to Indy100. "This is particularly true in customer service chats, where human representatives often rely on pre-written responses."
He advised people to look out for timing and repetition. When dealing with conversations, Jordan highlighted that bots tend to use overly formal language. To catch them out, ask a personalised question and see how they respond.
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