A viral photo purporting to show a dog attempting to mate with a robot dog has been circulating online. However, the image is fake. The original photo, shared by the New York Fire Department on Facebook in 2022, shows a robotic canine being used during a search and rescue operation in Lower Manhattan.
The photoshopped image, which first appeared on the subreddit Firefighting in 2023, has since been widely shared on various platforms. It is unclear who created the altered image, but its existence has raised questions about the potential for dogs to hump robot dogs in real life.
While dogs are known to hump a variety of objects, there are no documented cases of them humping robot dogs. This may be attributed to the relative scarcity of four-legged robots in the real world.
Despite the lack of evidence, the viral photo has sparked speculation and amusement, highlighting the potential dangers of living in an era where artificial intelligence tools make it increasingly easy to create and manipulate images. While photographic evidence may not carry the same weight as it once did, the altered image remains an amusing example of the challenges and perils of navigating the digital landscape in the future.
