If like most people you spend some time surfing the social media sites on the internet, you’ve likely come across more than a few fake postings that use artificial intelligence to generate false images or video, and sometimes they can be very hard to spot. They’re everywhere these days.
The importance of using critical thinking skills and not taking anonymous online posts at face value have never been more important, no matter what the topic.
Unfriendly governments are putting a lot of effort into attempting to mislead and misinform populations in western nations.
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In 2024, security services in Canada, the Netherlands and the United States shut down almost 1,000 “bot” farms related to the Russian government. They were spreading disinformation on X (formerly Twitter) on a variety of topics, including things like vaccine conspiracy theories.
And there are others who want to generate click bait for their own gain.
Some of those fake posts have recently begun targeting the machinery brands, claiming announcements relating to introductions of vehicles and equipment that simply don’t exist.
There are several posts circulating now with impressive images claiming Caterpillar is about to launch a new pickup truck, which it isn’t. However, the AI-generated pictures of it are pretty convincing.
Then there’s the claim General Mtors has developed a Silverado look-like Class 8 highway tractor. It hasn’t. The pictures of it, too, look very real.
For its part, John Deere has had enough of the fraudulent posts that it’s about to launch a pickup truck. The green brand recently made it clear that is a hoax.
A post on the Deere website reads, “You may have seen it: glossy green paint, a leaping deer logo, and a John Deere pickup that looks like it drove straight out of a farmer’s dream. There’s just one catch — it isn’t real. To be clear, we’re not assembling a John Deere truck.”
Although, it would be cool, wouldn’t it?
However, if you want to add a little bling to your real Ford, Chevy or Ram pickup (or whatever brand you have), well, John Deere’s online store or local dealership actually can help you with that.
