The AI War: How Fake Battlefields Are Being Turned Into Online Profit : by the greedy.
- Ian Miller
- Mar 9
- 2 min read
An unprecedented wave of AI-generated misinformation surrounding the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran is flooding social media, and experts say some online creators are cashing in.
Investigators from the BBC Verify report that fabricated war footage, AI-generated battlefield scenes and manipulated satellite images have spread widely across major platforms, attracting millions of views and generating advertising revenue for the accounts posting them.
The surge comes as generative AI tools become easier to use and more powerful. With only basic prompts and publicly available software, creators can now produce convincing videos of missile strikes, burning cities and military operations that appear authentic at first glance. Some clips mimic the visual style of television news footage or drone reconnaissance videos, making them particularly difficult for viewers to immediately identify as fake.
Researchers say the motivation is often simple: engagement. Dramatic war imagery spreads quickly online, especially during a real conflict when audiences are actively searching for information and updates. By posting sensational or shocking content, accounts can rapidly accumulate followers, views and monetisation opportunities through advertising programmes and platform incentives.
According to analysts cited by BBC Verify, some of the fabricated clips have reached tens of millions of views before being flagged or removed. In several cases, the same footage was reposted repeatedly by different accounts, amplifying the illusion that it was genuine coverage from the battlefield.
Fact-checkers warn that the scale of the problem is growing alongside advances in generative technology. What once required sophisticated editing skills can now be produced in minutes with AI video generators. As a result, misinformation about military operations, alleged attacks and civilian casualties can spread globally before journalists or investigators have time to verify events.
Experts say the danger is not only confusion among the public but also the potential for manipulated content to influence political narratives or inflame tensions during a volatile geopolitical crisis.
With the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran dominating global headlines, analysts say the information battlefield has become almost as contested as the physical one — and artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming one of its most powerful weapons.
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