AI photos of Minneapolis ICE agent unfold confusion : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1919x863+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/png/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa2%2F6b%2Fabf8ee2d4866891b98b447a1bf18%2Fimage.png" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1919x863+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa2%2F6b%2Fabf8ee2d4866891b98b447a1bf18%2Fimage.png" class="img" alt="An original still image from an eyewitness video shows the masked ICE agent who shot Renee Nicole Good (Left). Users on social media "unmasked" the agent using Grok (Right). Experts warn AI cannot "unmask" individuals. NPR is publishing both images to show how AI is being used to manipulate images of news events." fetchpriority="high"/> An authentic nonetheless picture from an eyewitness video exhibits the masked ICE agent who shot Renee Nicole Good (Left). Customers on social media "unmasked" the agent utilizing Grok (Proper). Specialists warn AI can not "unmask" people. NPR is publishing each photos to point out how AI is getting used to control photos of stories occasions. Screenshots by NPR/Picture by Courtney Theophin/NPR conceal caption

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Screenshots by NPR/Picture by Courtney Theophin/NPR Within the hours after a deadly taking pictures of Renee Good, 37, in Minneapolis, a picture of the ICE agent who took the pictures started to flow into.

Whereas the agent wore a masks in eyewitness movies taken of the occasion, he gave the impression to be unmasked in lots of the social media posts. That picture appeared to have been generated by xAI's generative AI chatbot, Grok, in response to customers on X asking the bot to "unmask" the agent.

NPR is publishing each photos to point out how AI is getting used to control actual proof of stories occasions, however utilizing AI to attempt to "unmask" anybody is ill-advised, based on specialists.

"AI-powered enhancement tends to hallucinate facial particulars resulting in an enhanced picture that could be visually clear, however which will even be devoid of actuality with respect to biometric identification," Hany Farid, a professor on the College of California, Berkeley who specializes within the evaluation of digital photos, wrote to NPR in an electronic mail.

Regardless, the AI-generated picture started to flow into late Wednesday, together with a reputation — Steve Grove. The origin of that title was not instantly clear, however by Thursday morning, it was resulting in an outpouring of anger in the direction of at the very least two Steve Groves who're by no means linked to the taking pictures.

Assertion from the Minnesota Star Tribune: We're at present monitoring a coordinated on-line disinformation marketing campaign incorrectly figuring out the ICE agent concerned in yesterday’s taking pictures. To be clear, the ICE agent has no recognized affiliation with the Star Tribune. We encourage…

— The Minnesota Star Tribune (@StarTribune) January 8, 2026

One was the proprietor of a gun store in Springfield, Mo., named Steven Grove. That Grove awoke to find his Fb web page below assault. "I by no means go by 'Steve,'" Steven Grove informed the Springfield Each day Citizen. "After which, after all, I am not in Minnesota. I do not work for ICE, and I've, , 20 inches of hair on my head, however no matter."

The second Steve Grove was the writer of the Minnesota Star Tribune. In an announcement, the paper mentioned it was monitoring what it believed to be a "coordinated on-line disinformation marketing campaign."

"We encourage folks searching for factual data reported and written by educated journalists, not bots, to observe and subscribe to the Minnesota Star Tribune," the paper wrote.

In the meantime, the Star Tribune and others, together with NPR, have recognized the title of the ICE agent as Jonathan Ross. Courtroom paperwork present Ross was dragged by a automobile throughout one other visitors cease in June of final 12 months in Bloomington, Minn.