AI images pose a greater threat to biology

 AI images pose a greater threat to biology

AI images pose a greater threat to biology

Wild animals rarely remain still long enough to be photographed, making professional nature photography expensive and time-consuming.

 AI may seem like a convenient solution because it can produce quick and cheap images of birds, insects, and other species that are difficult to photograph in the wild. However, experts warn that these AI-generated images pose a greater threat to biology, producing unrealistic images of nature that are far from scientifically accurate.

"Many AI images look deceptively realistic," warns Hans Petryšek of the Heinz-Sillmann Foundation, a German organization dedicated to the conservation and education of endangered species. "In reality, these images are often far from the truth." According to the foundation, AI-generated animal images often lack key characteristics of the animals in them. For example, the number and position of legs or the color patterns of skin and fur can sometimes be incorrect.

Furthermore, body proportions and details are often inaccurate. AI tends to idealize animals and give them a "cute" appearance. It often depicts the eyes and heads of creatures larger than life, and presents wild animals with unnaturally clean faces. Experts often find errors in AI images easy to spot. However, the general public often overlooks inaccuracies and assumes they are real.

The Heinz Silmann Foundation warns that the uncritical use of AI-generated animal images could exacerbate ignorance about nature. "Given the marked decline in general knowledge of natural history among the population and the dramatic decline in species numbers, this development is highly problematic," the foundation stated in a press release.

The foundation and other experts also called for AI-generated images to be easily and clearly labeled so that viewers can immediately recognize that they are artificial images. Artificial images should also be carefully reviewed by experts, and their use should be discussed objectively.