Urgent: AI ‘Homeless Man Prank’ Sparks Emergency Calls Nationwide

UPDATE: An alarming new TikTok trend, dubbed the “AI homeless man prank,” is causing panic across the United States, leading to a surge in emergency calls to 911. Reports indicate that this dangerous prank utilizes artificial intelligence to create hyper-realistic images and videos of a fictitious “homeless man” apparently breaking into homes, rummaging through fridges, or even lying in beds.

Authorities in at least four states have confirmed they are responding to what they believe are reports of home intrusions, only to discover the “intruder” was an entirely fabricated AI-generated figure. The West Bloomfield Police Department near Detroit, Michigan, has issued urgent warnings, emphasizing that these pranks waste critical resources and pose serious risks to public safety.

“Here’s the problem: officers are responding FAST using lights and sirens to what sounds like a call of a real intruder — and only getting called off once everyone realizes it was a joke,” stated the Yonkers Police Department in a Facebook post. This misuse of emergency services not only endangers police officers rushing into potential crime scenes but also places families at risk if law enforcement arrives before the prank is revealed.

Greg Gogolin, a professor and director of cyber security and data science at Ferris State University, commented on the ease of using this technology. “It’s frustratingly easy to do,” he said, explaining that he developed a program in just a few hours to demonstrate how AI can manipulate images. This technology employs advanced facial recognition capabilities to create strikingly realistic images that can mislead unsuspecting individuals.

The implications are significant, as such technologies, once created, can be disseminated and misused by individuals lacking technical expertise. “Once a technology like this is developed, it often gets used in ways the original creators never intended,” Gogolin warned.

Experts are now urging the public to remain vigilant and recognize the signs of AI-generated content. “You might generate something and an arm will be off, the elbows are in the wrong place,” Gogolin noted. Although earlier versions of AI-generated images often featured bizarre anomalies, such as extra limbs, these flaws have significantly decreased with advancements in the technology.

Local law enforcement agencies are also under pressure to enhance their training. “There are very few degreed investigators that have a cyber security background, let alone a computer science background,” Gogolin stated, highlighting the urgent need for better preparedness in addressing such tech-driven pranks.

As this trend continues to develop, authorities are urging the public to think critically before dialing 911. The misuse of emergency services not only diverts resources away from genuine emergencies but also poses an escalating threat to community safety.

Stay tuned for more updates on this urgent situation as it unfolds.