AI-Generated Image of Kancha Gachibowli Forest Viral as Real on Social Media

This image is created using artificial intelligence and is not real as claimed.

Fact-Check: This image has been created using AI and is not real as claimed. 

(Source: The Quint)

Amid the protests against the clearing of the Kancha Gachibowli forest in Hyderabad, an image showing bulldozers razing trees and several birds and animals running in fear is being shared as a recent image from the area.

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: X/Screenshot) 

(Archives of similar claims can be found here and here.)

Is the claim true?: No, the claim is false as this image is generated using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

What we found: At first, we noticed some irregularities in the image such as the blurry background and the abnormality with the bird's body.

• Additionally, the colour on the deer and peacocks looked extremely clear.

Here is a close-up of the bird. 

(Source: Altered by The Quint) 

• We also noticed that the body of a deer was missing and only its face was visible in the image.

• All this pointed that the image could be created using AI.

Here is a close-up of the deer. 

(Source: Altered by The Quint) 

• We, then, ran the image on AI-detection websites such as Hive Moderation, Sightengine and Was It AI and found that all three platforms noted that the image was "likely AI."

• Hive Moderation concluded that the image was 98.2 per cent, "likely AI."

• While, Sightengine was 99 per cent that the image was created using AI and Was It AI noted "There was some chance that this image, or parts of it, was created by AI."

Hive Moderation noted that the image was 98.2%, likely AI. 

Sightengine noted that the image was 99% likely AI. 

Was It AI was moderately sure that the image was likely AI.

• We also noticed some comments inquiring about the image. To which, Perplexity AI also responded that it was, "likely AI."

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: X/Screenshot) 

On Kancha Gachibowli: On Thursday, the Supreme Court instructed the Telangana chief secretary to guarantee that, until further notice, no trees be cut down at Kancha Gachibowli location.

• The Telangana High Court had also directed the Congress-led state government to stop tree cutting activities until the upcoming hearing.

• Since 31 March, more than 50 bulldozers had been clearing land in Kancha Gachibowli, next to the University of Hyderabad, despite significant opposition and protests from students and university personnel.

• Read The Quint's full report here.

Conclusion: An AI-generated aimed to show the situation of birds and animals amid the felling of trees in Kancha Gachibowli has gone viral as real on social media platforms.

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