AI-Generated Rescue Images From Hurricane Milton

About

AI-Generated Rescue Images From Hurricane Milton refer to a series of AI-generated images showing comically impossible acts of heroism supposedly during Hurricane Milton in early October 2024. The artificial intelligence images are made in parody of those who sincerely share AI-generated "wholesome" pictures without knowing or disclosing that they are AI and are often shared with captions feigning inspiration from the images. In particular, an October 3rd, 2024, post by Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Amy Kremer was widely parodied on social media.

Origin

On October 3rd, 2024, RNC Chairwoman Amy Kremer^[1] posted an AI-generated picture of a little girl holding a puppy while on a boat in a flooded town. The image had been circulating online beforehand in a viral tweet by Twitter user @bestbuddy1998,^[4] where it was established it was AI. Kremer said the image was "seared" into her mind, gaining over 1,600 retweets and 4,900 likes in one week (shown below, left).

After social media users pointed out that it was AI-generated, she tweeted, "Y’all, I don’t know where this photo came from and honestly, it doesn’t matter. It is seared into my mind forever. There are people going through much worse than what is shown in this pic. So I’m leaving it because it is emblematic of the trauma and pain people are living through right now" (shown below, right).

Spread

In the replies to Kremer's post, some users mocked her by posting similar AI-generated "rescue" images that were more obviously comical. For example, on October 4th, 2024, Twitter user @StephenKentX^[2] posted a parody in which a dog is holding a child, gaining over 110 retweets and 7,100 likes (shown below).

When Hurricane Milton began making landfall in the United States on October 9th, multiple social media users began posting similarly silly AI-generated hurricane rescue images.

For example, on October 9th, 2024, Twitter user @Schmoofy^[3] posted an AI-generated image of a scene from Disneyworld in which the Disney character Pluto is carrying a child through flooded waters, gaining over 1,700 retweets and 18,000 likes in one day.

On October 10th, Twitter user @BDSixsmith^[5] posted an AI-generated image of a child holding a dinosaur in a flood, gaining over 450 retweets and 8,000 likes in less than one day.

Various Examples

Search Interest

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External References