A firefighter emerges from the flames, a bear cub tucked under each arm. Another, in full protective gear, carries a tiny puppy away from the inferno. A third cradles a baby deer close to their chest.
This clip posted to Instagram by @FutureRiderUS last week has more than 43 million views and counting. “Amid the flames, even the smallest lives fight for survival,” reads the caption, bearing the hashtag #CaliforniaWildfires. However, these heartwarming rescues aren’t real. They’re all AI generated.
“Very obvious AI,” one comment reads. “Kinda weird timing to capitalize off of this terrible situation.” @FutureRiderUS hit back in the comments that the video was created using AI “to shed light on the reality of what is happening.” This is despite the actual footage from Southern California being shocking enough, with entire neighborhoods, miles of coastline, and parts of the Pacific Palisades reduced to ash.
“These problems are very real—animals are dying, homes are being destroyed, and firefighters are risking their lives to save others,” @FutureRiderUS continued. “They don’t have the time to produce visually stunning and powerful footage to raise awareness about these issues. That’s why I took the initiative to create something that could help people see and truly think about these tragedies.”
Unfortunately, what these AI-generated videos do more often is spread confusion, tricking people into thinking an already devastating series of wildfires in Los Angeles are even worse. The iconic Hollywood sign has become a favorite subject for AI-generated content, with numerous fake images and videos on X depicting the landmark in flames. Other AI-generated content tied to the disaster is more insidious. A user going by the name of Kevin Dalton shared an image of shadowy figures seemingly looting burning buildings. “Is this a real photo or AI?” someone asked. “Grok . . . for now,” Dalton replied.
Ironically, these creations require significant water resources to produce—at a time when 20% of Los Angeles fire hydrants ran dry when needed most. For those cashing in on AI-generated images during times of disaster, it isn’t just tasteless—it’s a ghastly, worrisome glimpse into the future of social media.
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