You're scrolling TikTok at 2 a.m. and stumble on a video titled "OMG there's someone in my house!" The footage is shaky, dramatic, and the poster swears an intruder has broken in.
Except… there's no intruder. There never was.
Welcome to 2025, the era of AI prank panic — where digital "jokes" are so convincing they're sending actual people into real fear spirals and emergency calls.
"It's Just a Joke!" – The Most Dangerous Phrase
The most viral culprit? The "AI Homeless Man" prank, where users generate fake images of supposed strangers lurking in their homes. The photos are so realistic that even celebrities like Michael Strahan reposted them in alarm.
People have dialed 911 in full panic after seeing these videos. Officers rush in, guns drawn, to "protect" a home from a non-existent intruder generated by Midjourney.
AI has now given swatting a terrifying upgrade.