AI-generated scene of the snow in Kamchatka, Russia
How AI slipped into real coverage of Russia’s storm
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
If you tuned into our coverage of Russia’s snowstorms earlier this week and thought some of the scenes looked unreal, you were not wrong. We thought so, too. And that is on us.
Russia is facing a genuine and dangerous winter emergency. Our video coverage reflected that reality. However, it also included several AI-generated clips that were mistakenly presented alongside authentic footage.
To be clear, not everything you saw was artificial. Much of the material came from real locations, real residents, and real conditions. A portion of the most extreme visuals, however, did not.
What was real and what was not
The storm itself is real, and so is the suffering it has caused. Our coverage included a mix of authentic footage and a limited number of AI-generated clips that were already circulating widely online. The real videos showed snow piling up to first and second floors, residents digging narrow paths just to leave their homes, and heavy, compacted snow overwhelming streets and emergency services.
The problem lay with a handful of extreme visuals that went beyond what physics allows, including snow swallowing entire skyscrapers, flowing like waves, and appearing unnaturally smooth and cinematic. Those clips were artificial and should not have been included, even as part of broader, otherwise accurate coverage.
This was not an isolated mistake. Newsrooms, broadcasters, and social media accounts worldwide shared similar content. AI-generated weather visuals have become convincing enough to slip past instinctive skepticism, especially during breaking news.
Correction and commitment
We have reviewed the video, clarified the source of the footage, and updated our internal verification process for visual content. Real events deserve accurate representation, not digital exaggeration.
To the residents of Russia’s affected regions, including Kamchatka, the situation remains severe. Clearing more than sixteen feet of snow is a serious, exhausting, and dangerous reality.
AI may have blended into the storm this time. It will not do so unnoticed again.
Stay warm. Stay alert. And when we show you something extraordinary, it will be because it truly happened.
