A 40-year-old man has been arrested for using artificial intelligence to generate a fake image of a runaway wolf, misleading South Korean authorities and causing them to divert resources from searching for the real animal. The wolf, Neukgu, had escaped from Daejeon city zoo and was considered vital for efforts to revive native wolf populations in South Korea.

Concerns were heightened as animal rights activists worried about the wolf’s safety in the wild, with South Korea's president promising that rescue teams would prioritise his return. Search efforts involved drones, police, emergency workers, veterinarians and community members who provided crucial footage of Neukgu's movements. However, an AI-generated image of the wolf at a local intersection sparked panic and diverted attention from the actual search.

The man told police he made the image for fun, but now faces up to five years in prison or a fine of up to $6,700 as authorities seek to prove that his creation disrupted their investigation. The case raises questions about the potential misuse of AI and its impact on urgent operations.