Pope Francis' visit to Luxembourg not only drew crowds on the streets but also became a viral moment, with internet users flooding social media with memes and AI-generated images.
LetzAI sees surge in activity during major events
One of the more popular images featured Pope Francis holding a beer in front of Luxembourg City's Grand Ducal Palace. This AI-generated image, created by LetzAI, was shared shortly before the Pope's arrival and gained considerable traction on platforms like Reddit and Facebook. Misch Strotz of LetzAI noted the success of such images, emphasising that "a well-crafted AI image can be an effective marketing tool," pointing to the beer glass in the image, which bore no visible logo.
LetzAI, a Luxembourg-based image platform, often sees increased activity during major events, both locally and globally. Whether during the European Football Championship, the Pope's visit, or even in response to Donald Trump's comment about cats and dogs being eaten in Springfield, LetzAI experiences notable peaks. "It's clear that more images are created and shared on our platform and on social media during these times," said Strotz.
Occasionally, people mistake real photos for AI-generated ones. "When reports surfaced that the Pope was stopping for an espresso, people asked me if those images came from us," Strotz explained.
Real photo or fake news?
While some AI-generated images circulating online are easily identifiable, others–such as the one with the Pope holding a beer–appear strikingly realistic. This highlights the importance of being cautious and not taking every image on the internet at face value.
The Pope did of course not visit Saumur. While this picture is easily recognisable, a more powerful AI generator might have produced a much more convincing image.
Misch Strotz addressed the growing trend of AI being used to create fake news in various contexts, such as the US elections or the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He emphasised that, in today's world, every image seen online should be questioned until proven authentic. "Creating fake images doesn't always require AI," Strotz explained. "Even cropping part of a photo or manually editing it can mislead without the use of any specialised platform or tool."
Strotz stressed that the issue lies not in the production of AI-generated images but in how they are used. He underscored the importance of clearly labelling such images as AI creations, referencing the beer image of the Pope, which prominently displayed the LetzAI logo. The problem arises, he noted, when these labels are removed, and the images are distributed as if they were real.
The ability to mark AI-generated images on platforms like Facebook is a step forward, according to Strotz. He also highlighted the importance of upcoming EU legislation aimed at regulating AI, which he believes will help reduce potential misuse.
Not just AI, but good old memes too
In addition to AI-generated content, traditional memes also flooded the internet during the Pope's visit. People created a wide range of more or less funny memes, some of which you can discover for yourself down below.
A selection of Pope memes and AI images
Pope JC II.
Luxembourg–more expensive than the Vatican?
Avoiding traffic jams made easy
Was it not an espresso after all?
2 = 5 or what?
Translation: "Five beers please" - "But you're signing two" - "Those are Roman numerals you fool"
Drink in good company
Two more men
Housing in Luxembourg
Dragon's Den: Heads of state edition
Speech bubble translation: "60 million sounds like a hefty sum, but my gut tells me there's potential here!"
Beautiful Luxembourg weather
I bless the rains down in… Luxembourg?
A meme that says it all
Or what the Pope said, unfiltered:
The things you can get up to in Luxembourg
The Pope arrived safe and sound ín Belgium
Related:
Local businesses report limited impact from papal visit
Pope Francis calls for more open-mindedness in Luxembourg
Pope Francis spontaneously grabs coffee at a café on Rue Notre-Dame
