AI Scam Alert: Popular Reddit user 'Claudia' exposed as fake, found selling private pictures

In a stunning revelation, researchers have uncovered a case of a popular Reddit user who is entirely fake. Claudia, a young woman with a striking appearance and a charming smile, has been offering to sell nude photos to anyone who messages her privately on the platform. However, her pictures are not of a real person, but rather a bunch of images that are really convincing. These images are made using artificial intelligence image tools.

AI-image generators such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion have gained global attention recently for their inventive art pieces and impressive fakes of ex-presidents and popes. However, Claudia's case is different as it borders on the category of scams and further showcases the darker side of this technology.

According to a report by Rolling Stone, two computer science students developed Claudia, an AI-generated image model using Stable Diffusion, which has the ability to create realistic photos by using simple text prompts. The pair created the Reddit account 'u/Cl4ud14' to test their creation and see if they could make money selling images of Claudia. They used the prompt “without makeup with black hair, shoulder length hair, simple background, straight hair, hair bangs” and sold several images for around $100 before being discovered.

One particular image generated by Claudia, a selfie with the caption 'Feeling pretty today,' went viral, attracting hundreds of comments from people admiring the image of the fantasy woman.

On Reddit, Claudia had gained a following of admirers who had commented on her beauty and expressed interest in purchasing her photos. But now it's clear that people behind this artificial entity were scamming these users.

The discovery of Claudia's true identity has raised concerns about the potential misuse of AI-generated images and videos. While these tools have enormous potential for artistic and entertainment purposes, they could also be used for fraudulent activities, such as creating fake social media profiles or committing identity theft. 

The man considered as the 'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton, has also warned about the developments in the field of artificial intelligence. Hinton left Google to be able to talk freely about AI. He even went to the extent of saying that a part of him even regretted his life's work. 

Read more: 'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton quits Google, warns about layoffs, other dangers

Also read: 'We haven't the faintest idea': Scientist Stuart Russell reveals that even AI creators are shooting in the dark

Also read: 'A Chernobyl for AI' looms if artificial intelligence is kept unchecked, says AI scientist