4 — This appears to be one of the first conflicts where generative AI is being used extensively in narrative production and influence campaigns. How are different actors, including state-linked networks or aligned online communities, incorporating AI-generated content into their information strategies?
Generative AI is making it much easier to flood the information space during conflicts. Over the past few days, AI-generated images, manipulated satellite imagery and fake social media accounts have circulated fake content alongside real footage. For example, an image claiming to show a massive explosion at an Iraqi airport turned out to be AI-generated. Google Earth satellite images were manipulated to suggest damage to a U.S. Navy base, with fake accounts impersonating senior Iranian clerics.
Additional images and videos have circulated depicting burning buildings in Gulf cities, damaged U.S. ships and supposedly destroyed military installations. These posts often constitute mislabeled footage, recycled clips or AI-generated visuals framed as evidence of successful Iranian or U.S. strikes. The effect is to exaggerate the scale of the conflict, either to project military success or to create fear of further escalation. In some cases, the purpose of such imagery can also generate public anxiety and political pressure for de-escalation. In others, posters might be grifters seeking to monetize clicks.
At the same time, genuine footage from strikes across Iran, Israel and the Gulf is circulating online, making verification much more difficult. The result is a crowded information environment where real documentation, propaganda, opportunistic misinformation and AI-generated content blend together. Artificial Intelligence lowers the cost of producing convincing visual narratives, allowing both state-linked networks and opportunistic accounts to rapidly shape perceptions of the war.
5 — In an environment increasingly saturated with synthetic media/ AI and manipulated content, what practical indicators should journalists and the public rely on to evaluate the credibility of images, videos, and narratives circulating online during wartime?
In wartime, people should be much more cautious. The first rule is to slow down. Most misinformation spreads because people share dramatic footage before verification. Start by looking at the source, the first account to post and whether they have a credible track record. Reverse image searches can often reveal whether a video or image is old footage merely recycled from another conflict.
Context is also crucial. Check whether reputable journalists, open-source researchers or major news organizations have verified the claim. If a post supposedly shows a major military event, but only anonymous social media accounts are reporting it, that is a red flag. A good rule of thumb is to distrust information stemming from someone with no obvious background in news or current affairs, is anonymous and whose bio includes words “crypto,” “AI” and an emoji. They may be credible, but frequently accounts spreading sensationalist unverified information often have such biographical indicators.
There are also some common indicators with AI-generated imagery. Look for strange inconsistencies: distorted text on buildings or signs, oddly shaped hands or faces, repetitive patterns in crowds or smoke, lighting that does not match the environment or physical details that do not make sense. For example, posts of buildings collapsing in ways that defy gravity or military equipment that looks slightly “off.” These are not foolproof indicators, but they are often a sign that a post deserves closer scrutiny.
Finally, treat highly dramatic content — especially images of spectacular military successes or catastrophic destruction — with caution. These posts are exactly the kinds of narrative actors attempting to manipulate the public during war, whether to project strength, create panic or shape public opinion.
The views and positions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of DAWN.