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Gen Zers are using AI tools to trick relatives into thinking they’ve let homeless people into their property. The ensuing outrage is recorded and then posted online, with many clips going viral. Now police are warning against the prank, citing safety concerns.
We’re sure that you’ve probably seen the AI ‘homeless man’ prank online by now.
A viral trend on TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, Gen Zers are using in-app AI tools to generate images of people inside their properties. Most of these depict homeless people at the front door, on the sofa, or inside a bedroom, but some similar prank videos also use shirtless plumbers, roadmen and even elderly folks.
@hjevelyn I’m crying #plumbing #prank #shirtless
The recipient of the photos is usually alarmed at the images and often rushes home to assess the situation. This video below shows our editor Jamie’s mother calling his sister a ‘c***,’ for example, after being tricked into believing a homeless man had entered their building. Make of that what you will.
@phoeb447 Homeless man prank on mum😂
With these videos doing the rounds on all the main social media platforms, police are now urging caution over safety fears.
Why, you might be asking?
Some of the parents of children sending these prank AI videos are calling the police, citing a home invasion and prompting high-priority involvement from authorities. Any situation that might affect minors is treated as extremely serious, with one officer in Texas warning that there is the potential for a ‘SWAT response.’
A SWAT response refers to the phenomena in which streamers are doxed while live with their audience. Somebody will call the police using their address and threaten to blow up the vicinity or enact violence, after which the house is raided.
It is very dangerous, with some even being killed before as a result.
The police department in Salem, Massachusetts has issued a statement asking for locals to not engage with the homeless AI video prank. It mentions several incidents in which police resources were used inappropriately to deal with non-existent home emergencies.
‘In several cases, those who received these AI generated images and commentary sincerely believed that there was an actual intruder in their home,’ the post reads. ‘This necessitated an immediate police response.’
@daveandjanie Hell never wait to fix something again 🤣Pranking my husband with the ai shirtless plumber… creepy how real it looks!! #daveandjanie #homelessman #aihomelessmanprank #ai #fypシ゚viral
