Ghost in the machine: how AI is haunting the search for the supernatural (www.theguardian.com)

A new app called GhostTube Seer, developed by Amy Waine and Jarrad Cutting, is being dubbed the “world’s first AI Ghost Hunting tool” and has gained significant traction with over one million downloads since its release in 2023. The app leverages a phone's built-in sensors to detect electromagnetic signals, generating images that users can interpret as supernatural sightings. This innovation highlights the increasing intersection of AI with the ghost hunting community, which traditionally relied on tools like EMF meters. By enabling the generation of visuals based on detected signals, Seer enriches the ghost hunting experience, offering a modern take on an age-old pursuit. However, the rise of AI in this spooky domain is met with skepticism from some paranormal enthusiasts, like researcher Alex Matsuo, who worry that AI could undermine the authenticity of ghost hunting. Concerns exist over how generative AI tools train on various data, potentially leading to ethical dilemmas, especially regarding copyright and the accuracy of ghost identification via AI models. Despite these worries, the technology’s integration into ghost hunting is expanding, with other applications emerging that utilize AI to analyze audio or visual phenomena. As the landscape evolves, the core of ghost hunting—a human quest for understanding and processing loss—remains a critical point of debate.