AI-Generated Pyramids In Antarctica Stir Fresh Debate On Misinformation In Tech
France 24’s The Observers featured the book “Mysterious Antarctica” recently, drawing attention to the unique method in which it was produced. The book was created by Canadian indie AI publisher Lost Books using artificial intelligence technologies such as OpenAI’s DALL-E 2, along with Fairseq and GPT-NeoX.
The book’s contents center around the supposed discovery of a lost ancient civilization at the South Pole by Admiral Byrd, known as the Quatrian Empire. However, the artist behind the book, who goes by the name modem has stated that it is meant as a commentary on the ease with which “alternative facts” and misinformation can be spread using generative AI tools and the difficulty in fact-checking this information at scale.
This raises important questions about the risks such tools pose to our information ecosystems and the need for caution in an age where technology can be used to manipulate and deceive as easily as it can be to entertain and educate.
Regardless of one’s perspective on the book, it is clear that “Mysterious Antarctica” has sparked important conversations about the role of AI in the dissemination of information and the need for greater scrutiny and accountability in the digital age.
