Facebook AI-generated images of Jesus Christ go viral, but also attract scams and fake products

Facebook is now home to thousands of bizarre images of Jesus Christ, created by artificial intelligence. These images are accompanied by captivating texts that promote virality, attracting large audiences and even scamming users. While some of these images go viral, others are used by page owners to monetize or scam users.

Researchers at Stanford University have studied this phenomenon and found that many of these images are captivating and attract interactions from users, possibly including bots. The competition for attention among page creators leads them to use any tactic that seems to work, including posting AI-generated content that the platform’s recommendation systems promote.

The academic study looked at 120 Facebook pages that published AI-generated images, each with at least 50 images, and found that these pages had an average of almost 130,000 followers. The images are often combined with texts that promote virality, and some users may not even realize that they are generated by AI.

Some users fall for scams related to these images, as scammers take advantage of gullible individuals in the comments section. These fake accounts interact with users, offering financial assistance or products that do not exist, with the goal of extracting personal information or selling fake products.

While Jesus Christ is a common theme in these images, other subjects like animals, landscapes, and memes are also used to attract attention on Facebook. The platform’s algorithm plays a role in promoting these images and increasing their engagement, contributing to their viral success.

Despite efforts by Meta to label AI-generated content on its platforms