Recently, a photo circulating on social media purportedly showing “five dancing Israelis” celebrating as the World Trade Center burned on 9/11 has been debunked as an AI-generated fake. The image, which was widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), claimed to depict five shirtless men waving an Israeli flag amidst the chaos of the attacks. However, this claim has been proven false.
The image was created using xAI’s Grok AI tool, as confirmed by the user @CensoredMen. This user posted the image along with other AI-generated content to showcase Grok’s capabilities, including scenes featuring Israeli soldiers. On August 14, 2024, the image was shared by user @PartisanGirl with the caption, “Never forget. Five dancing Israelis.” Despite the image’s satirical nature, the post garnered significant attention, receiving 774,000 views, 3,300 reposts, and 12,000 likes.
BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh confirmed that the image was not real and highlighted its AI origins. Fact-checkers identified the image as satire rather than an authentic historical photo. Many users initially believed the image to be genuine, which underscores the ongoing challenge of distinguishing real from fake content online. The widespread belief in the fake photo illustrates the impact of misinformation and the ease with which AI-generated media can deceive.
A short breakdown:
- AI-Generated Origin: Created with xAI’s Grok AI tool, confirmed by @CensoredMen.
- Social Media Spread: Gained traction with 774,000 views and substantial engagement.
- Verification and Reports: Confirmed as fake by BBC Verify and fact-checkers.
This case emphasizes the importance of verifying images, particularly those related to sensitive historical events. The AI-generated photo, although clearly satirical, highlights how easily misinformation can spread without proper scrutiny.
