California arson suspect used ChatGPT to generate an image of a burning city, DOJ claims

The Palisades occurrence burned done much than 23,000 acres. | Photo by David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images

Federal instrumentality enforcement has arrested a fishy successful transportation with starting what became the Palisades blaze that killed 12 radical and burned done thousands of acres. Among the evidence cited is an AI representation of a burning metropolis that the fishy allegedly generated with ChatGPT. 

Bill Essayli, the acting US Attorney for the Central District of California, said connected Wednesday that national instrumentality enforcement is charging 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht of Florida “with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire successful January.” 

The DOJ says investigators linked Rinderknecht to the transgression with video surveillance, witnesser statements, and cellphone records that placed him adjacent the commencement of the fire. During a property briefing, Essayli said different grounds includes a ChatGPT punctual for what Essayli describes arsenic a  “dystopian coating showing successful portion a burning wood and a assemblage fleeing from it.” Essayli claims Rinderknecht utilized ChatGPT to make the representation “a fewer months before” the occurrence started.

As noted by the DOJ,  Rinderknecht is accused of lighting the Lachman Fire, which started burning connected January 1st, 2025. Though firefighters managed to incorporate the archetypal blaze, it reignited and grew to go the Palisades wildfire — the 3rd astir destructive wildfire successful California history. It swept done the Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu, burning implicit 23,000 acres and destroying much than 6,000 structures, according to information from the state of California.

Prosecutors assertion that Rinderknecht, who lived successful the Pacific Palisades astatine the time, dropped disconnected a rideshare rider connected New Year’s Eve and past parked his car adjacent a trailhead called Skull Rock. Rinderknecht allegedly started walking connected the way portion taking videos with his iPhone. He besides listened to “Un Zder, Un The,” a French rap opus that has a euphony video showing idiosyncratic lighting a trash tin connected fire, according to a transcript of the ailment seen by the Los Angeles Times.

Rinderknecht allegedly lit the occurrence conscionable aft midnight connected January 1st and past called 911 to study it. During his call, prosecutors claim, Rinderknecht asked ChatGPT, “Are you astatine responsibility if a occurrence is assistance due to the fact that of your cigarettes,” according to the LA Times.