Why PUB launched a crocodile search: AI checks on image were inconclusive公用事业局为何发起鳄鱼搜索：人工智能对图像的检测结果不确定
PUB has explained why it launched search operations following a reported crocodile sighting at Pandan Reservoir, saying that attempts to verify the authenticity of an image using several AI-checking tools produced "inconclusive" results.In a Facebook post, the national water agency said the image had been flagged by the supervisor of a worker employed by its reservoir maintenance contractor."The man is...
PUB has explained why it launched search operations following a reported crocodile sighting at Pandan Reservoir, saying that attempts to verify the authenticity of an image using several AI-checking tools produced "inconclusive" results.
In a Facebook post, the national water agency said the image had been flagged by the supervisor of a worker employed by its reservoir maintenance contractor.
"The man is a worker employed by PUB's reservoir maintenance contractor. His supervisor had alerted PUB to the image on Aug 20, 2026," the agency said.
"We immediately attempted to verify the authenticity of the image using various AI checker tools, but the results were inconclusive. Hence, in the interest of public safety, PUB acted quickly and took the necessary precautionary measures."
According to PUB, it was unable to determine whether the image was AI-generated and, together with the National Parks Board (NParks), deployed resources to conduct search-and-capture operations in the area as a precaution.
The agency added that once it was established that the image was fake, it made a police report.
The Facebook post comes days after 30-year-old Myanmar national Ye Lin was charged over an AI-generated image purportedly showing a crocodile at Pandan Reservoir.
Police previously said preliminary investigations found that Ye had created an AI-generated image depicting a crocodile at Pandan Reservoir and sent it to a colleague.
According to charge sheets seen by AsiaOne, Ye allegedly sent the image to a colleague on Aug 20 before subsequently deleting it from his phone.
He had also allegedly deleted the image and the application used to create it in an attempt to conceal his actions, police said.
The police have urged the public to refrain from circulating false information or edited images that could cause unnecessary public alarm, adding that such falsehoods can result in public resources being unnecessarily deployed.
Ye was charged in court on Tuesday (Sept 29) with communicating a false message and obstructing the course of justice.
Ye was granted agency bail and is scheduled to return to court on Nov 10.
helmy.saat@asiaone.com
公用事业局解释了为何在潘丹水库发现鳄鱼踪迹后展开搜寻行动，称使用多个人工智能检测工具验证图像真实性的尝试产生了“不确定”的结果。
国家水务局在 Facebook 上发帖称，这张图片是由其水库维护承包商的一名工人的主管发现的。
“这名男子是公用事业局水库维护承包商的工人。他的主管于2026年8月20日将这张照片告知了公用事业局，”该机构表示。
“我们立即尝试使用各种人工智能检测工具来验证图像的真实性，但结果并不确定。因此，为了公共安全，公用事业局迅速采取行动，采取了必要的预防措施。”
据新加坡公用事业局 (PUB) 称，他们无法确定该图像是否由人工智能生成，因此与国家公园局 (NParks) 一起部署资源，在该地区开展搜寻和捕获行动，以防万一。
该机构补充说，一旦确定该图片是伪造的，他们就向警方报案。
这条 Facebook 帖子发布几天前，30 岁的缅甸公民叶林因一张据称显示潘丹水库鳄鱼的 AI 生成图像而被起诉。
警方此前表示，初步调查发现，叶某利用人工智能技术制作了一张描绘潘丹水库鳄鱼的图像，并将其发送给了一名同事。
据AsiaOne看到的起诉书显示，叶某涉嫌于8月20日将该图片发送给一名同事，随后又将其从手机中删除。
警方称，他还涉嫌删除了图片和用于创建该图片的应用程序，试图掩盖自己的行为。
警方呼吁公众不要散布虚假信息或篡改过的图片，以免引起不必要的公众恐慌，并补充说，此类虚假信息可能导致公共资源被不必要地部署。
叶某于周二（9月29日）在法庭上被控散布虚假信息和妨碍司法公正。
叶某获准保释，将于11月10日返回法庭。
helmy.saat@asiaone.com