
S7 E10: AI — Fake Nature, Real Consequences
From WCS Wild Audio by Wildlife Conservation Society
May 27, 2026 · 9 min · Season 7 · Episode 10
About this episode
The episode discusses the impact of AI on wildlife imagery and conservation journalism with guest Rhett Butler.
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms media, journalists and conservationists are confronting a new and unsettling reality: What happens when we can no longer trust what we see in nature documentaries and wildlife photography? This week WCS speaks with Rhett Butler, Founder and CEO of Mongabay, about how AI-generated wildlife imagery is beginning to reshape conservation journalism, and why the stakes may be much higher than they first appear. Reporting: Hannah Kaplan Guest: Rhett Butler
People in this episode
Guest: Rhett Butler
Topics covered
- artificial intelligence
- wildlife photography
- conservation journalism
- media trust
- AI-generated imagery
Keywords
- AI
- wildlife
- conservation
- journalism
- media
- imagery
- documentaries
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Mongabay
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