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A bizarre new trend in China has sparked public alarm, as some women use artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake videos of homeless men breaking into their homes to test their husbands’ affection. Authorities have condemned the practice as “fear-mongering” and warned that such behavior could lead to criminal punishment.
The trend, which surfaced on Chinese social media platforms this month, involves women generating realistic AI images or videos showing a vagabond entering their home or sitting in their living room. They then send the footage to their partner to gauge his reaction — whether he shows concern, panic, or indifference.
Several of these videos have gone viral, with some receiving over 400,000 likes, sparking heated debate about the misuse of artificial intelligence.
One widely shared incident occurred on October 17 in Anhui province, when a woman sent AI-generated images of a homeless man in her house to her husband while he was dining out. Believing the footage was real, the husband immediately called the police. Officers rushed to the home, only to discover that the “intruder” was entirely fabricated.
Police reprimanded the woman for “creating panic” and “wasting public resources.” Similar cases have since been reported in other parts of China. In one instance, property management staff were dispatched after a worried boyfriend saw the fake images. In another, a neighbor who saw the photos online called the police, resulting in the prankster being punished for spreading false information.
According to lawyer Zhou Zhaocheng, such pranks can violate China’s Public Security Administration Punishment Law, which allows up to 10 days’ detention and a fine of 500 yuan (US$70) for acts that cause public alarm. If the fake content spreads widely and causes panic, offenders could face up to five years in prison for fabricating false information.
Critics online have denounced the so-called “AI homeless test” as reckless and attention-seeking. “Have these people never heard the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf?” one commenter asked. Another wrote, “If you need to stage danger to test love, your relationship already lacks trust.”
Experts also warn that the trend reflects a growing crisis of authenticity as AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated and harder to detect. “AI gives people new tools for creativity,” one social media user noted, “but without regulation, it also brings new dangers.”