AI‑generated wildlife photos flood citizen‑science platforms, risking data integrity

Generative AI tools are producing thousands of fabricated images of birds and other species, overwhelming citizen‑science databases such as iNaturalist. Researchers have identified about 400 falsified entries, warning that this “AI‑slop” undermines the credibility of observations used for ecological monitoring and policy decisions. Easy‑to‑use AI image generators can “enhance” existing photos or create entirely synthetic pictures, making it difficult for ornithologists and conservationists to verify species’ distribution records. Experts call for stricter verification procedures and advise contributors to refrain from AI manipulation when uploading to scientific platforms.

The surge of AI‑generated content poses a new challenge for biodiversity research, highlighting the need for safeguards to protect the reliability of citizen‑collected data.