AI-altered images on birdwatching forums putting research at risk
2026-07-20 · AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian
AI image enhancement tools are turning birdwatching forums into fantasy fiction, with doctored photos creating fake species sightings that threaten actual scientific databases. Congratulations, AI has found a way to gaslight not just humans but also ornithological research. Nothing says progress like making scientists doubt whether birds are real.