Santorini or a Theme Park?
As summer draws near, the picturesque island of Santorini is growing in popularity as a travel destination. However recently, in the past days social media has been inundated with artificial intelligence (AI) generated images that are creating a fake reality and depicting the Cycladic isle as something more akin to a theme park.
The algorithms behind AI-generated images are capable of producing incredibly believable pictures. The fake pictures of Santorini, which incorporate slides and other implausible components, have gone viral in the past day, producing an alternative reality of the island that many users are falling in love with. Dozens of users are commenting about how much they would love to travel to this 'wonderful' and, unbeknownst to them, fake Santorini.
Unfortunately, social networking sites and filled with these fake photos, which are being shared by multiple accounts.
As for our opinion? Magical Santorini is more than beautiful enough and doesn't need any tampering with. It seems, that in a world where images and interaction through social media create an "alternative" reality, artificial intelligence (AI) has invaded it for good, making it even more "unnatural".
View some of the posts and AI photos of Santorini to get a sense of how the island is being transformed online.
Read also: The Alchemist: Iordanes Spyridon Gogos at AFW ‘24
