AI-generated videos depicting dramatic scenes from the Iran-Israel conflict have circulated online. CBS News Confirmed producer Erielle Delzer explains what people should know about these videos and who's behind some of them.

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The United States has joined Israel in striking nuclear targets in Iran. It follows an escalating broader conflict in the region including the ongoing Gaza war.

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AI-generated videos and photos claiming to show dramatic events related to the Iran-Israel conflict have been widely circulated on social media platforms. CBS News has confirmed that some of these videos, including those depicting a reporter in front of an Iranian prison or a downed Israeli warplane, have received millions of views and are often the product of coordinated networks rather than individual users.

Researchers, such as those at Clemson University's Media Forensics Hub, have identified groups of accounts working together to amplify these fabricated videos, with the intent to sow doubt and discord. Social media platforms like X have responded by promoting user-driven fact-checking tools, but experts advise the public to avoid sharing unverified content and to rely on trusted sources for information.

AI-generated videos about Iran-Israel conflict spread online

If you've been on social media recently, you may have seen AI-generated videos and photos, like this one supposedly showing a reporter in front of a prison in Iran, or this one purportedly showing buildings in Tel Aviv, or this one claiming to show a downed Israeli F-35 warplane. CBS News confirmed has tracked dozens of these fakes, some with millions of views. They're becoming more common during conflict as the tools to make them get better and easier to use. But researchers say these aren't just being created and spread by ordinary users. In some cases, they're likely the work of coordinated networks, which are groups of accounts coordinating to share the same posts, often to spread disinformation. For example, that AI reporter in front of the burning prison? Researchers at Clemson University's Media Forensics Hub say the video was posted and then spread by a coordinated network of about a thousand accounts on X. And the same network spread this video, said to show Evin prison in Tehran, which experts say may be AI-generated. The goal? Researchers say it's to sow doubt and discord. In response to CBS News, an X spokesperson directed us to their Community Notes feature, which allows users to fact-check posts. Ultimately, these fakes are getting steadily more sophisticated and convincing, and therefore harder to spot. Researchers say the best approach is to not share unverified videos, and turn to trusted sources instead. Arielle Delzer, CBS News, New York.

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AI-generated videos about Iran-Israel conflict spread online

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