Fake AI-generated images of mushrooms are swamping Google search results, causing consternation amongst health experts and others concerned that they may result in fatal poisonings. 

The issue was highlighted by Reddit r/mycology community moderator MycoMutant, who discovered that when searching for the fungus Coprinus comatus - commonly referred to as shaggy ink cap - the first image displayed in Google’s AI Overviews featured snippet was an AI-generated image.

The image, which had been taken from stock image website Freepik, where it was clearly labeled as AI-generated, bore little resemblance to the real Coprinus comatus, posing a serious risk to anyone relying on it for identification. 

Experts from the New York Mycological Society expressed concern over the dangers posed by AI-generated images, highlighting that many individuals depend on visual references and when these references are inaccurate, the risk of misidentification increases significantly. 

The fracas highlighted to surge in AI-generated content now being integrated into search engines like Google, and the abparent inability of search engine developers to detect and manage them appropriately. 

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13906779/Google-showing-AI-images-mushrooms-fatal.html

• https://www.firstpost.com/tech/how-googles-ai-generated-mushroom-pics-can-lead-to-major-health-crises-in-us-eu-13818826.html

• https://www.404media.co/google-serves-ai-generated-images-of-mushrooms-putting-foragers-at-risk/

• https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/google-s-ai-generated-mushroom-images-are-a-risk-to-foragers/story