AI double-edged sword in floods

The flooding in Hat Yai has exposed not only how inadequate the Thai bureaucracy is in managing a major disaster, especially one involving complex weather data and a high-density urban area, but also how innovative technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a profound double-edged sword.

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When not used properly, AI tools can fail miserably, exacerbating the situation by spreading misinformation or becoming an unnecessary, costly distraction.

The first clear sign of how AI can be abused and cause more confusion during an already distressing disaster, emerged with the proliferation of “cute” images showing a dog carrying a kitten in his mouth to a rescue worker.

Similar generated “hero animal” images were widely shared, as they naturally touched people's hearts. But as COFACT, the fact-checking platform and network, revealed, most of these “hero animals” had been generated or heavily modified by AI. The purposes varied, from creating adorable content just for fun, to driving viral feeds and boosting engagement for financial gains.

The negative impact from this seemingly harmless content arose immediately. A resident in Hat Yai sought assistance after a large snake entered the house. However, rescue workers, apparently desensitised by the constant stream of “fake” animal-related imagery, believed the photo the resident sent was AI-generated, resulting in a critical delay in response.