Source : Perth Now news
A tourist has been charged after his AI-generated picture of a crocodile sent Singapore authorities scrambling for a reptile that did not exist.
Ye Lin is a 30-year-old Myanmar national who allegedly created the fake image of the reptile and sent it to a colleague on August 20.
The image allegedly showed a crocodile lurking in Singapore’s popular Pandan Reservoir, which is often used for water activities such as canoeing and fishing.
National water agency PUB were notified of the reported sighting on the same day.
It is not clear how PUB officials were notified of the false photo that Ye Lin sent to his colleague.
The agency informed the National Parks Board and both agencies conducted search and capture operations in the area.
Water activities at the reservoir were also suspended, while members of the public were warned to exercise caution.
However, the hunt came to an abrupt end on September 21 when authorities established that the photograph was fake.
PUB filed a police report about the falsified image that same day.
Police allege that Ye subsequently deleted the AI-generated images and the history from the Gemini AI application on his phone in an attempt to conceal what he had done.
““The man subsequently deleted the image and the related application in an attempt to conceal his actions,” a police statement said.
The 30-year-old has been charged with one count of communicating a false message and one count of obstructing the course of justice.
Ye told a court, through an interpreter, that he intended to plead guilty and would not engage a lawyer.
He is due back in court in November.
The charge of communicating a false message carries a possible jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$10,000 (£5,800), or both.
Obstructing the course of justice carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, a fine, or both.
Singapore Police warned that fabricated images can cause public alarm and unnecessarily divert resources.
“The Police urge the public to act responsibly and refrain from circulating false information or edited images that could cause unnecessary public alarm,” a spokesperson for the force said in a statement.
“The public should also not submit fabricated or manipulated information, including AI-generated or digitally altered images, to the Police or other Government agencies while presenting such information as authentic.”
Water activities at Pandan Reservoir resumed after the image was confirmed to be fake.
