2 weeks ago
As AI-generated images get more and much realistic, it tin beryllium harder to show nan clone from nan genuine.
Unfortunately, it seems galore online shoppers person been duped by nan latest AI scam – fake 'cat's oculus dazzle' seeds from China advertised connected eBay.
AI-generated photos successful nan merchandise listings dress nan seeds bloom into beautiful flowers resembling tiny cats - but successful truth nary specified works exists.
The seeds, described as 'rare', 'organic' and 'non-GMO', person been flogged for much than $45 (£35) per packet.
Fact-checking website Snopes has recovered nan clone imagery circulating each complete societal media sites, including Facebook, Reddit and X.
People are buying clone 'cat's oculus dazzle' seeds from China connected eBay. AI-generated photos successful nan merchandise listing propose nan seeds bloom into beautiful flowers that lucifer tiny cats - but nary specified works exists
'No returns accepted': It's unclear really galore group person been duped aliases what precisely they received successful nan station aft completing their purchase
The tract – which was contacted by a wary web personification astir nan 'seeds' – has confirmed nan flowers arsenic 'fake' and said nary specified works exists.
It scanned nan images pinch AI-detection tools on aiornot.com and isitai.com to uncover they were created by AI, while Adobe Photoshop 'may besides person been utilized to tweak nan pictures'.
What's more, no legitimate records of immoderate flowers aliases plants pinch nan sanction 'cat's oculus dazzle' existed earlier this year, Google information shows.
The imaginary works is besides not named Cryptanthus bivittatus, as a LinkedIn user and others claimed, which is really a sanction taken from a existent type that looks thing for illustration a cat.
According to Snopes, nan photos were posted by Facebook personification StorieSpot to a group called National Geographic Wild Planet.
The Facebook group has much than 1.4 cardinal members, but contempt its name, it is not affiliated pinch National Geographic, nan US quality channel.
StorieSpot's station sewage much than 80,000 likes and tens of thousands of shares connected Facebook – and galore users seemed willing successful buying a packet.
One commented 'love to person these seeds', while different simply said 'I WANT SOME SEED'.
Snopes recovered 'hundreds' of completed aliases sold listings for nan 'seeds' connected eBay with prices moreover pushing past $45 (£35).
It's unclear really galore group person been duped aliases what precisely they received successful nan station aft completing their purchase.
Snopes recovered 'hundreds' of completed aliases sold listings for nan 'seeds' connected eBay pinch prices moreover pushing past $45 (£35)
The imaginary works is besides not named Cryptanthus bivittatus, arsenic a LinkedIn personification and others claimed, which is really a sanction taken from a existent type that looks thing for illustration a feline (pictured)
According to Snopes, those who appeared to judge nan flowers were existent tended to beryllium 'senior successful their age'.
As good arsenic eBay, nan flowers were reportedly advertised for waste connected imseeds.com, gardenerstar.com, foundseed.com and dailyrosy.com – and domain registration accusation for these websites 'point to China'.
Fake accusation suggesting nan works really exists was besides circulating connected Reddit, though immoderate users managed to telephone it retired arsenic nonsense.
One Reddit personification said: 'This AI garbage is each complete societal media (especially Facebook) and thousands of group eat it up reasoning it's real.
'I don't cognize why it makes maine angry, but it does.'
Another said: 'There are a ton of dishonest sellers trading generic wildflower seeds arsenic clone works seeds utilizing AI-generated images and Photoshop.
'These are astir arsenic existent arsenic bluish strawberries aliases rainbow orangish seeds.'
And 1 ill-informed X personification posted an image of 'cat oculus dazzle', telling their followers it was a bromeliad – a flowering works autochthonal chiefly to nan tropical Americas.
'Cat's oculus dazzle' should not beryllium confused pinch existent type of plot pansy that are often sold pinch nan connection 'cat' successful their sanction owed to nan feline-like quality of nan flowers (pictured)
Real: The singular Dracula simia orchard has an statement of column, petals and articulator powerfully resembles a monkey's face
'Cat's oculus dazzle' should not beryllium confused pinch existent type of plot pansy that are often sold pinch nan connection 'cat' successful their sanction owed to nan feline-like quality of nan flowers.
Even much singular is the Dracula simia orchard, which has an statement of column, petals and articulator powerfully resembles a monkey's face.
MailOnline has recovered that seeds for these works type – which are officially listed by nan Royal Horticultural Society – are being sold connected eBay too.
MailOnline has contacted eBay and Meta, Facebook's genitor company, for comment.
Ever wondered what Mona Lisa would look for illustration rapping? Microsoft's caller AI instrumentality tin make images talk
The bound betwixt what's existent and what's not is becoming ever thinner acknowledgment to a caller AI instrumentality from Microsoft.
Called VASA-1, nan technology transforms a still image of a person's look into an animated clip of them talking aliases singing.
Lip movements are 'exquisitely synchronised' pinch audio to make it look for illustration nan taxable has travel to life, nan tech elephantine claims.
In 1 example, Leonardo da Vinci's 16th period masterpiece 'The Mona Lisa' starts rapping crudely successful an American accent.
However, Microsoft admits nan instrumentality could beryllium 'misused for impersonating humans' and is not releasing it to nan public.
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