Fake AI-generated images of mushrooms are swamping Google search results, causing consternation amongst health experts and others.

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.