PsyPost reports:

Emotionally charged AI-generated images may encourage social media users to respond before they critically assess whether the images are real, according to a study published in Computers in Human Behavior.

AI-generated images can now be produced quickly and cheaply, making it possible to create large amounts of realistic-looking material for social media. Some images are paired with emotional captions and distributed through networks of automated pages or content farms that seek attention, advertising revenue or user interaction.

Images may be particularly effective at attracting attention because they are processed quickly and can trigger emotional reactions before people examine details closely. A picture of an elderly couple, a neglected child or an apparently extraordinary achievement may prompt sympathy, anger or admiration. Those reactions can make users less likely to stop and ask whether the scene is authentic. [Continue reading…]