Ridiculous AI-Generated Pictures Get Published In Scientific Journal

Image via Guo et al / Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (CC BY 4.0)

Biologically accurate critters were nowhere to be found in (supposedly) peer-reviewed research published in the highly credible Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology journal, where AI-generated illustrations have surfaced.

Among the collection was a portrait of a rat that seemed to have hit the genetic jackpot, sporting dramatically oversized genitals. While diagrams are there to help explain concepts better, the text displayed in these visuals made things even more confusing, spelling gibberish like “dck,” “Retat,” and “stem ells.”

Image via Guo et al / Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (CC BY 4.0)

We don’t know about you, but our “prom” looked nothing like this.

It turns out that while generative artificial intelligence models like Midjourney have been making waves across various sectors, they might not be ready for their close-up in the scientific world just yet. A study published by Springer took a deep dive into the accuracy of these AI-crafted images and found them wanting, falling behind on anatomical correctness, and being useless for medical training or scientific documentation.

Image via Guo et al / Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (CC BY 4.0)

The scientific community has been particularly wary of the emergence of such images these days, with researchers and journals adopting processes to sniff out manipulated or inaccurately generated images. The challenge is real: a database maintained by Retraction Watch has cataloged over 51,000 instances of retractions, corrections, or expressions of concern, with about 4% of these flagging issues with images.

Article published a couple of days ago. Every figure in the article is AI generated and totally incomprehensible. This passed "peer-review" https://t.co/8oeyjbn098 pic.twitter.com/d58ME9bXTk

— clifford (@cliff_swan) February 15, 2024

In response to this growing concern, some journals are requiring authors to submit raw images alongside their polished figures. Publishers, on their part, are turning to AI-based tools such as ImageTwin, ImaCheck, and Proofig, which are built to detect duplications and alterations.

Science fiction called; it wants its generously endowed rodents back.

[via Gizmodo, Futurism, Springer, images via Guo et al / Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (CC BY 4.0)]