SHAWANO COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - Deputies in Shawano County are warning the public about a new prank growing in popularity, utilizing generative AI.

Seen mostly on TikTok, the trend dubbed “AI homeless man” uses AI to create fake images of a homeless person inside someone else’s home.

Those images are then sent to family members or roommates.

The department says the photos can look extremely realistic, with some of the pranks resulting in real 911 calls, something that officers encountered on Monday after a victim in Shawano County called police out of fear that someone was actually inside their house.

Parents are asked to talk to their kids about the trend and the consequences of it.

They say that while it may seem like a joke, the prank can cause panic, lead to dangerous or violent rea

See Full Page