An unprecedented surge of AI-generated misinformation about the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran is spreading across social media, with some online creators profiting from the misleading content, according to experts who spoke to BBC Verify.
Analysis of online posts has uncovered numerous instances of fabricated satellite images and AI-generated videos being shared as real footage from the conflict. These posts, many of which contain false or misleading claims about the war, have collectively attracted hundreds of millions of views across various platforms.
A digital media expert Timothy Graham of Queensland University of Technology described the scale of the misinformation as deeply concerning.
According to him, advances in generative AI tools have drastically lowered the barriers to producing convincing but entirely synthetic conflict footage.
“What used to require professional video production can now be done in minutes with AI tools. The barrier to creating convincing synthetic conflict footage has essentially collapsed,” he said, warning that the current situation highlights how easily such technology can be misused.
The conflict escalated on February 28 when the United States and Israel began launching strikes on Iran. In retaliation, Iran reportedly carried out drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, several Gulf countries and United States military assets in the region.
As the situation rapidly unfolds, many people have turned to social media platforms to follow developments and share information about the conflict.
Unfortunately, the flood of AI-generated content has made it increasingly difficult for users to distinguish real footage from fabricated material.
