AI-Generated Videos Fuel Anxiety Amid Rising Bear Attacks in Japan
Japan is grappling with a surge in bear attacks, reaching a record high in 2024, alongside a growing problem of misleading AI-generated videos circulating online. Teh combination is amplifying public anxiety and posing challenges for local authorities.
This year has seen a dramatic increase in bear encounters. As of late 2024, a record 13 people have died in bear attacks – more than double the previous high – and over 100 have been injured. Between April and September, approximately 20,700 bear sightings were reported nationwide, a significant increase of around 7,000 compared to the same period in 2023.
Experts attribute the rise in bear sightings to poor crops of acorns and beechnuts, the animals’ primary food source. This scarcity is driving bears to venture further into populated areas – towns and other built-up areas – in search of food, notably as natural boundaries between forests and residential zones have diminished due to rural depopulation.
Adding to the concern is a wave of fabricated videos appearing on platforms like TikTok. A recent examination by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper found that roughly 60% of 100 selected bear-related videos were created using OpenAI’s video generator, Sora.Many of these clips contain a Sora watermark, and some posters acknowledge their artificial nature. Though, others are remarkably realistic, making it arduous for viewers to discern fact from fiction.
Several videos depict scenarios that have not occurred in reality, such as a bear entering a convenience store in noshiro, Akita prefecture, an incident officials have confirmed did not happen. Another AI-generated clip showed people fleeing a bear on a street in Ishikawa prefecture,prompting a denial from local authorities and a plea to rely only on official information.
Authorities are particularly worried about videos showing people feeding bears, despite repeated warnings against carrying food while hiking. “Feeding a bear is extremely hazardous, and coudl result in them no longer fearing humans,” explained Shinsuke Koike, a professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, to the Yomiuri.
The proliferation of fake videos coincides with increased media coverage of bear sightings and attacks, leading users to capitalize on public interest. The disruption is impacting daily life in northern Japan, where encounters are most frequent.
japan Post has temporarily suspended mail and delivery services in parts of Akita prefecture, where the self-defense forces have been deployed to assist licensed hunters in trapping and disposing of bears. NTT East is reviewing safety procedures for engineers working in mountainous areas, and Yamato is considering suspending parcel deliveries if worker safety is compromised.
