Amnesty’s AI images draw attention to the brutality used by Colombian police to bring down nationwide protests in 2021

Amnesty International has been criticized for using fake images to draw attention to the systemic brutality used by Colombian police during nationwide protests in 2021. The Guardian has reported that the images were created using artificial intelligence (AI) and had a dystopian feel with smoothed-off and warped faces of police and protesters.

The images, which have since been taken down, featured scenes from the protests, including one where a woman was being dragged away by police. The tricolour in the protester’s hand contained the correct colors but was arranged incorrectly, and the police uniform was obsolete.

Despite the well-documented instances of violence, sexual harassment, and torture committed by Colombian police during the unrest, the use of fake images could potentially undermine Amnesty International’s work and promote conspiracies, according to media scholars and photojournalists.

The AI-generated images could also raise doubts about the credibility of the media in a highly polarized era full of fake news. The 2021 national strike in Colombia, which was triggered by a divisive tax reform and subsequent brutal police response, resulted in at least 38 civilian deaths at the hands of state authorities. Women were also kidnapped, carried to abandoned buildings, and raped by gangs of policemen.

Amnesty International has previously used photos in its reports but used AI-generated visuals to protect demonstrators from potential governmental retaliation. However, the organization has since removed the images from social media posts, with Erika Guevara Rosas, director for Americas at Amnesty, stating that they did not want the criticism for the use of AI-generated images to distract from the core message in support of the victims and their calls for justice in Colombia.

Juancho Torres, a photojournalist based in Bogotá, expressed disappointment and said that Amnesty’s use of AI-generated photographs was disrespectful to photojournalists who cover protests from the frontline.

While Amnesty’s research has increased awareness of Colombian police brutality and helped to solidify public support for reform, the use of fake images has overshadowed the organization’s efforts and raised questions about the credibility of its reporting.