A prank involving an AI-generated image of a fire reportedly sent at least six firefighting teams rushing to a location in Sungai Petani, only for them to discover that there was no fire.
Sungai Petani Volunteer Fire Brigade chairman Leong Ming Tat said the incident happened this morning after the group received a WhatsApp message at about 11.35am claiming that a fire had broken out along Lorong Panglima in the town.
The message, reportedly sent from an account using the profile picture of a young Chinese man, included an image that appeared to show an ongoing fire. The convincing-looking picture prompted several firefighting teams to mobilise and head to the reported location.
However, when the firefighters arrived, they found the area completely calm, with no signs of smoke, flames or any fire-related incident. It was only then that they realised the emergency alert had allegedly been fabricated.
Leong expressed disappointment over the incident, warning that false emergency reports can do more than waste valuable resources. Such pranks could potentially divert firefighters away from genuine emergencies where every minute can make a difference.
He said the volunteer fire brigade has also lodged a report through the official Fire and Rescue Department channel, with the matter now expected to be investigated to identify the person responsible.
The incident also highlights growing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence, particularly as AI-generated images become increasingly realistic and can be difficult to distinguish from genuine photographs.
Authorities and members of the public have been reminded not to circulate unverified information or misuse emergency communication channels, especially when doing so could trigger an unnecessary deployment of rescue personnel.
