The world of birdwatching is facing a new challenge: the proliferation of AI-generated images that are being used to deceive and mislead. These altered images, often posted on birdwatching forums, are not only undermining the credibility of citizen science platforms but also putting scientific research at risk.
The issue has come to light as a result of the rise of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. These tools can create high-quality fake images in seconds, or enhance existing photographs by removing obstacles that might obscure the subject. This has led to a sharp increase in fake and enhanced images of rare and celebrated birds across wildlife photography forums.
In a recent commentary in the science journal Nature, researchers warned that hundreds of fake images have already been discovered on popular databases for recording species. They said that the true scale of the issue is unknown, as many could go undetected, and could contaminate records collected by the public.
Dr Alexander Lees, an ecologist at Manchester Metropolitan University who authored the journal article, said that a huge volume of wildlife photos now are simply AI-generated imagery. This makes it very difficult to use those photos to help us understand where species are in space and time.
While outright hoaxes remain rare and are often easy to spot, Lees says birders often use AI to edit and improve an image, and the algorithm can then introduce parts from different bird species to create the new image. He points to the example of a false sighting of a red-winged blackbird in central Brazil, which was actually an epaulet oriole.
Lees warns that wildlife photographers can be quite obsessed with getting a beautiful photo, but there’s a risk that the image might actually cause problems down the line when AI has been used to edit it.
Citizen science organisations are still working to understand the scale of the issue. On iNaturalist, a social network where nature enthusiasts can record sightings of plants and animals, just 1,400 of the more than 610m images on the platform have been flagged for AI use.
Tony Iwane, iNaturalist’s director of community support, who was a co-author on the Nature paper, said most of these cases were unlikely to be malicious, but appealed to users to be vigilant. He said that the more we know about where species are, the better informed we can be as conservationists. But the information needs to be accurate.
The implications of this issue are far-reaching. Not only is it undermining the credibility of citizen science platforms, but it is also putting scientific research at risk. As Lees points out, the information needs to be accurate, and the use of AI-generated images is making it difficult to ensure that.
In my opinion, this issue highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the use of AI in citizen science. It also underscores the importance of critical thinking and skepticism in the face of seemingly beautiful and compelling images. As birdwatchers, we need to be vigilant and cautious, and not take everything at face value.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the way in which AI is being used to manipulate and deceive. It raises a deeper question about the role of technology in our lives and the potential consequences of its misuse. It also highlights the need for greater awareness and education about the capabilities and limitations of AI.
In conclusion, the proliferation of AI-generated images in birdwatching forums is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It is not only undermining the credibility of citizen science platforms, but it is also putting scientific research at risk. As birdwatchers, we need to be vigilant and cautious, and not take everything at face value.
