Assignment 1 Inquiry Process Post #1

For this project, I am interested in researching the rise of generative AI in media and images, more specifically, how tools such as Sora and other AI-generative sites can create incredibly realistic videos and images that can trick viewers. My interest in this subject began after seeing videos such as the viral bunny video, as I referenced in an earlier reflection post, where an AI-generated video of bunnies jumping on a trampoline went viral and was believable enough to pass as authentic for many viewers. Seeing how easily people accept these types of videos as true and real raises important questions in my opinion of how quickly this technology has evolved, how it functions, and what it means for our ability to trust what we see online. I am especially interested in identifying what the telltale signs of AI-generated media are and how these signs are constantly changing, as AI rapidly develops from being unable to create hands to now being fully capable of creating realistic people, as this technology continues to evolve.

This research will explore how generative AI functions both as a technological system and as a social phenomenon. As these tools become more embedded in everyday digital culture, the line between authentic and artificial media becomes harder to distinguish, as what we see can no longer be trusted as fact. I want to research how AI is working to reshape the public’s perception, trust in media, and identity, especially as AI continues to evolve to the point where it is now, able to convincingly recreate and impersonate real people or create fake events. The questions this brings up are especially valuable as many people engage with AI-generated content without fully understanding its capabilities or the risks it carries.

At this point, I am developing guiding questions to support further research, such as what generative AI is and how it functions, what the timeline of its rapid development is, what notable examples of AI-generated media have gone viral, and what tells are there that reveal if it is AI-generated content or not? What safeguards exist that prevent misuse, impersonation, or deepfakes? Additionally, how does AI-generated content affect public trust in news and everyday content?

From this beginning point, prior to research, my central research idea is what the telltale signs of generative AI are, and how its rapid advancement in media production reshaped digital culture as trust in what is real continues to shift.