What's behind 'Shrimp Jesus' and other surreal trends? Know influence of AI on social media

Technology, innovations greatly benefit humanity but misuse can harm it too. For instance, on social media, you might encounter fabricated content created by AI.

This includes altered images of celebrities and world leaders, and even bizarre combinations like 'Shrimp Jesus', blending sea creatures with religious figures.

These AI-generated images, designed to attract attention, are flooding platforms like Facebook.

WHAT IS HAPPENING ON FACEBOOK pic.twitter.com/6XzTV5eBd3

— Jorge Murillo 💙 (@TheHornetsFury) March 13, 2024

They are often used to trick younger users who may not realise they are fake. Some accounts behind these images buy fake followers to boost their credibility and reach.

The aim is to drive traffic to low-quality websites, sometimes leading to scams. Similar tactics are also seen on other platforms like X (Formerly Twitter).

So talented pic.twitter.com/k90t10T5Lf

— fofr (@fofrAI) February 19, 2024

While some find it amusing, others are concerned about the impact on online discourse.

Investigations have shown that AI-generated content is being promoted on platforms like Facebook, sometimes through recommendation engines.

Dead Internet Theory is becoming too real again
1/2 pic.twitter.com/WnLI0LpfPq

— Bits 🏳️‍🌈 (@BitsHammer) April 26, 2024

Scammers are also using AI-generated videos to target users on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, often for financial gain.

Fascinated at how “African child made this!” became the go-to AI slop pic. Shrimp Jesus had his moment but the idea of a precocious village boy carving stuff gets the likes even faster. https://t.co/37jWvBUovi

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) April 26, 2024

This has raised questions about how social media platforms should handle such content. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has acknowledged the need for responsibility, emphasising the importance of ensuring platforms are beneficial for users.

While some content like 'Shrimp Jesus' is obviously fake, distinguishing real from fake content is becoming increasingly challenging.