A breathtaking video, claimed to feature gargantuan anacondas swimming through a river in the Amazon jungle, has become viral, mesmerizing millions on social media. Filmed apparently from a helicopter, the clip seems to feature a number of huge snakes, one of which is said to be over 30 meters long. Viewers identified the beast with Yakumama, the legendary South American serpent said to be a guardian of rivers.
Reactions on social media varied from shock to terror. “Is this even real?” one asked, with others worrying about how the enormous snake had gone unnoticed for so long.
But experts have since verified that the video is artificially generated. Researchers tracked the clip to a YouTube account notorious for creating fake artificial intelligence-based fiction. Though its visuals appear very much real, from flowing streams to thick forests and authentic snake movements, the entire clip is synthetic.
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“Happens to be quite a convincing visual, particularly with the helicopter shot. But it’s all synthetic,” said a media analyst. “It’s a dramatic illustration of how AI is making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between reality and fiction.”
Deceiving Visuals
The filmic nature of the video gave many people the illusion that it was real. Even seasoned observers were taken in at first by the perfect simulation of the jungle, the ripples on the river, and the snake movements. Though the video can be mere entertainment, its widespread sharing raised red flags about AI-manufactured disinformation.
Experts warn that as technology improves, it will be harder to tell such simulated content from actual footage.
“This video may seem like a bit of fun, but it shows just how quickly false information can spread when it appears convincing,” warned a digital media researcher. “People need to be far more critical about what they share.”
