Fact check: Viral video of red-lipped batfish is AI slop

This video has been viewed millions of times online, claiming to show a red-lipped batfish, but it's not real. It's AI-generated. The red-lipped batfish is a real marine animal, but the video that's being shared is an AI-generated recreation, and adding to the confusion is the fact that it was shared by a Toronto news station. Yes, that is a fish walking, not AI. This is a red-lipped batfish, and yes, it's real. No, it's not, and at the time I record this, the news reports are still up and no correction has been issued. The video contains a watermark for Deep Ocean World, and the news report credits its Instagram account for the video. This account is known for posting deep sea AI slop, but the videos are not labeled as AI, and the description for the account implies the footage is authentic. Not only are there obvious visual cues in the video indicating AI generation, like the movement of its fins that look more like legs, but there's real footage of the red-lipped batfish that we can compare it to. This footage from Getty Images in 2017 shows red-lipped batfish in the Galapagos. You can see how its fins actually look and how the fish move. The prevalence of this kind of AI slop underlines the importance of verification and fact-checking. As AI generation tools get better and create more realistic videos, separating real from fake is only going to get harder. If you are seeing other photos or videos you'd like us to fact check, send us an email at ask at cbc.ca.