Artificial intelligence is changing the world in ways we’re only beginning to understand, and the outdoor world is certainly not immune.
Over the last several months, I’ve conducted an extensive investigation into how AI-generated wildlife stories, fake photographs, fabricated videos and even artificial outdoor personalities are influencing what people see and believe about wildlife.
The result is a two-part investigative series I wrote for the Wild Sheep Foundation, examining everything from bogus bighorn sheep stories to the possibility of artificial intelligence being used to influence public opinion about hunting and wildlife conservation.
Some of what I uncovered was fascinating. Some of it was downright disturbing.
In the first installment, I investigated a viral story about Colorado wildlife officials supposedly releasing wolves from New Mexico. The story was false, but it incorporated enough legitimate information to sound believable.
I also examined a bizarre story about a bighorn ram near Estes Park, Colorado, that supposedly learned to open automatic doors at a visitor center. There was no verifiable evidence that the incident happened.
Then there were AI-generated videos showing mountain goats encountering animals they would never meet in the wild and other fabricated scenes that could easily fool viewers unfamiliar with wildlife.
The second installment goes considerably deeper.
I investigated an artificial hunting personality named Kayla who offers deer hunting advice on YouTube. She’s not a real person, yet some hunters interact with her as though she is.
That raises some serious questions about the future of outdoor media and the potential for artificial personalities to gain credibility with real audiences.
I also examined the growing ability of AI to manufacture emotional wildlife incidents, impersonate real people and potentially influence public attitudes toward controversial wildlife management issues.
Consider what could happen if a convincing but completely fabricated video of animal cruelty circulated just before a major wildlife-related vote.
Or imagine a respected wildlife biologist appearing to make controversial statements in a video that was entirely manufactured.
These are the kinds of possibilities conservation organizations need to understand.
I’m particularly proud to have produced this series for the Wild Sheep Foundation. I’ve had the privilege of working with some outstanding organizations throughout my career, and WSF is unquestionably a thought leader in the outdoor conservation world.
Their willingness to examine emerging issues like artificial intelligence demonstrates an understanding that conservation involves more than what happens on the mountain. It also involves communication, public understanding, scientific credibility and the future of wildlife management.
As someone who has spent more than three decades in wildlife journalism, I believe investigating these issues is increasingly important.
Artificial intelligence has tremendous potential for good, including applications in wildlife research and conservation. But we also need to understand how it can be misused and what that means for the people and organizations working to protect wildlife.
I invite you to read both installments of this investigation, published by the Wild Sheep Foundation.
Part One: AI Wildlife: Bogus Stories and Big Lies in Bighorn Country
An investigation into fabricated wildlife stories, AI content factories, fake bighorn encounters and the growing problem of synthetic wildlife imagery.
Read Part One at the Wild Sheep Foundation
Part Two: The Coming AI War on Wildlife Management
A deeper investigation into artificial hunting influencers, fabricated animal cruelty videos, deepfakes and the potential for AI to influence wildlife management debates.
Read Part Two at the Wild Sheep Foundation
The real natural world is already extraordinary. We don’t need artificial intelligence inventing a fictional version of it.
And as conservationists, journalists and people who care about wildlife, we need to make sure truth doesn’t get lost in the process.
Chester Moore
Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms
@gulfgreatwhitesharksociety on Instagram
To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.
Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.
Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook
Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.