AI Analysis in Russia Says US Moon Landing Images Are Fake

Another theory related to fake photographs of the U.S. landing on the moon arose thanks to artificial intelligence (AI).

This was announced during the “World Tour of Artificial Intelligence” in Moscow. Namely, Russian President Valdimir Putin was shown an AI analysis that allegedly demonstrated that images of U.S. astronauts landing on the moon could be inauthentic.

Namely, this is about neural network analysis, demonstrated in a video with the participation of Putin and Nikolai Gerasimenko from Sberbank, which suggests the possibility of synthetic photographs having been used.

The video became widespread on the internet. It shows Putin’s reaction when he questions the authenticity of the Apollo 11 images displayed on the screen. Then, Gerasimenko says that the neural network allegedly considered almost everything in the photographs of the U.S. landing on the moon to be fake.

Gerasimenko also explained neural network evaluation by citing factors such as light-dark contrast. However, he said, the AI analysis did not raise any concerns about the images taken by the Chinese lunar rover during its mission to Chang’e.

Sberbank President German Gref clarified that the analysis is based on Google’s neural network. Reportedly, neither the U.S. nor NASA have commented on the AI analysis or Putin’s response.

Discussions Over Moon Landing

Discussions about the authenticity of the historic Apollo 11 mission, announced on July 20, 1969, continue to arise from time to time. The question of the success of the U.S. lunar mission was previously raised by Elon Musk, the American spacecraft manufacturer SpaceX. He posted a controversial tweet about the U.S. landing on the moon.

“They simulated the moon landing using a computer,” Musk wrote. He also noted a depiction of computer graphics technology from the last century but without directly mentioning the U.S. Apollo lunar mission.

However, it goes without saying that various artificial intelligence tools have produced incorrect analyses and “false and misleading information” since they were introduced.

Putin to Combat an ‘Unacceptable and Dangerous’ Western AI Monopoly

Meanwhile, Putin revealed plans to endorse a national strategy for AI development, asserting the need to prevent “unacceptable, dangerous and inadmissible” Western monopoly.

He denounced the monopolistic dominance of foreign technology in Russia, particularly highlighting the potential threat posed by Western-trained systems. Putin stated that algorithms from Western platforms could lead to a digital “cancelation” of Russia and its culture.

“An artificial intelligence created in line with Western standards and patterns could be xenophobic,” he noted. He also pledged increased resources for supercomputer development and other technologies to enhance national AI research amidst war with Ukraine.