Facebook loves to brag about the potential for artificial intelligence to help its users. However, this technology can just as easily be used by bad actors on the social media giant’s platforms. For example, many experts and users have noticed a dramatic uptick in AI-generated images on Facebook, though the purpose behind these often-bizarre pictures isn’t always clear. That’s why a team of researchers at Stanford Internet Observatory and Georgetown University conducted a study of these images, and concluded that spammers and scammers are leveraging this new technology to reach a wider audience on Facebook.

Many lawmakers and advocates around the world have sounded the alarm about AI-generated images and their potential to influence politics. However, these researchers note that the problem is already here, and it’s affecting users on a more personal level every day.

“Much of the research and discourse on risks from AI image generators, such as DALL-E and Midjourney, has centered around whether they could be used to inject false information into political discourse,” the study’s authors wrote. “We show that spammers and scammers — seemingly motivated by profit or clout, not ideology — are already using AI-generated images to gain significant traction on Facebook.”

Facebook is trying to keep up with these scammers and clearly label fake images as they’re detected. However, this technology is currently in the Wild West, and it seems like the bad guys currently have an edge.

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