In the aftermath of the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, which claimed to live for 275 people on June 12, the spread of misinformation with AI-generated content sparked new concerns about digital disinformation during the crisis.The false preliminary conflict reports carrying aviation jargon and emojis went viral across the aviation world before being rebutted by authorities. This document was later discovered to be generated by artificial intelligence using details of the 2024 Latam Airlines incident in South America.Before the Indian government could label the report fake, news websites had already published stories based on it, which has led to misleading even aviation experts.According to the ministry, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) retrieved the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) to New Delhi on June 24th, and transported it for more than a week after it was recovered, but ET.The vacuum of information was filled with visuals and stories that were quickly manufactured. Amit Relan, CEO of digital fraud detection company Mfilterit, said ET:His company has identified not only Clash Aftermath's deepfake videos, but also fraudulent fundraising campaigns. “This is a classic case of emotionally driven financial fraud,” warned Relan.The fact-checking group boom has flagged several AI-generated visuals, including images of doctors showing that aircraft were burning outside Ahmedabad airport and being misplaced. These images lack disclaimer and were flagged as composite by an AI detector. The Boom has used AI verification tools to confirm the misleading nature of such content.Former airline pilot and collision investigation consultant John Cox criticized AAIB's slow communications. “This is the most extensive case of misinformation seen during any accident,” he told ET. “AAIB needs to do daily briefings as agents around the world do. If there is no information, it is incorrect and can fill in the blanks.”The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) also highlighted the need for effective media communication during accident investigations, saying, “A well-planned, implemented communication strategy could go a long way in minimizing negative publicity and reporting facts in a timely and accurate manner.”Mishi Choudhary, founder of Software Freedom Law Center, highlighted a multi-layered approach. “Each new disaster has new opportunities for disinformation peddlers,” she said. “This is not a problem that can be resolved by enacting new laws. The platform must be responsible for making more investments to tackle misinformation in different languages.”As AI-generated content becomes more persuasive and accessible, experts say India must adopt a faster, transparent, and technologically integrated communication strategy, especially during national tragedy.
