AI’s Threat to Science Media Archives

Brilliant blue heron statue in Shadyside (photo by Kate St. John). Left=original photo , Right = [AI Enhance] turned it gray 12 August 2026 “Is it real or is it artificial intelligence (AI)?” A decade ago only dedicated photographers and videographers had good editing tools because the software cost money and it took time to learn. But in the past two years AI became embedded in my cellphone photo editor. The tools are so easy to use I don’t need to know anything about how to make a good photo. I just look at it on my phone, click Edit, choose [Auto] and then [Enhance] or [AI Enhance]. It takes no training and no photo editing skills. The results are marvelous … in more ways than one. As a matter of principle I do not use the AI editing tools because the result can be as inaccurate as autocorrect and the danger is that, just like autocorrect, I may send/post that fake result. Embarrassing typos, inaccurate photos. The photos at top show, on the left, a brilliantly blue heron statue…