On September 10, 2023, right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a political event at Utah Valley University. A single bullet from a .30-06 rifle struck him fatally in the neck during a discussion about firearms, leading to his death at Timpanogos Regional Hospital. The incident raised concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) handling urgent news, as platforms like Grok and Perplexity spread misinformation. Grok erroneously claimed Kirk would survive, while Perplexity insisted he was still alive, despite official reports confirming his death. AI-generated images of the shooter, Tyler Robinson, also circulated, distorting his appearance. Misinformation had real-world repercussions, leading to threats against an innocent retiree falsely identified as the shooter. Experts emphasized the risks of AI in breaking news, highlighting society’s overconfidence in machines versus human judgment. Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA and became a significant conservative media figure, was viewed as a polarizing figure prior to his murder.
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