AI-Manipulated Image Reaches US Senate Floor

AFP reports Jan. 30, 2026 that an AI-enhanced image of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti circulated widely on Instagram, Facebook, X and Threads after he was shot in Minneapolis. Senator Dick Durbin displayed the manipulated frame on the Senate floor before his office acknowledged the image had been edited. Experts and watchdogs say AI 'enhancements' can invent details, fueling misinformation and complicating breaking-news verification.