Videos Expose the Truth — and Cloud It, Too

Last week offered two stark illustrations of how video can both reveal and obscure reality. In Los Angeles, Rauiri Robinson posted A.I.-generated clips that staged a rooftop fight between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, created with Seedance 2.0 from ByteDance. In Minneapolis, bystanders’ footage showing federal agents wrestling Alex Pretti to the ground before he was fatally shot undercut the federal government’s account and preceded an announcement that agents would withdraw from the state.

The Hollywood clips stirred alarm about how easily A.I. can mimic real film, while the Minneapolis videos drew criticism across the political spectrum; Senator Ted Cruz warned that escalating rhetoric loses credibility.

United States, Los Angeles, Minneapolis

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