Police Searched High and Low for an AI-Generated Snake

Neighbors in Santa Ana, Calif., were warned to watch out for a deadly African viper on Monday that never existed. Police say a man admitted he used AI to generate an image of a Gaboon viper perched in a backyard tree, then called 911 and triggered an hourslong search. The Los Angeles Times reports doubts quickly swirled about the photo's authenticity: Experts pointed out the hefty, ground-dwelling snake was improbably balanced on a thin branch and appeared to have a branch passing through its body.

Still, officers and reptile specialists combed the area and issued a public alert urging residents to stay away from the highly venomous snake should they see it. After finding nothing, police cleared the scene Monday evening. On Tuesday, they wrote on Facebook that "detectives followed up with the reporting party, who initially said he saw the snake and provided the original photo. During the follow-up investigation, he admitted the photo was AI-generated and that the report was false." Authorities have not yet announced what consequences, if any, the man might face.