It is still one of the most enigmatic cases in British criminal history, with the enigmatic technology of artificial intelligence (AI) offering its rendition of the Victorian serial murderer famously known as Jack the Ripper. However, Twitter/X users are not convinced by this portrayal.
The unidentified killer, linked to the infamous “canonical five” murders of Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly in Whitechapel between August and November of 1888, was never captured or identified by law enforcement.
The true identity of the perpetrator has been a subject of ongoing speculation and scrutiny. In 2014, a publication asserted that the culprit was a 23-year-old Polish hairdresser named Aaron Kosminski. In 2022, a walking stick emerged bearing what was claimed to be the face of the criminal.
A year later, a former police volunteer, whose grandfather was involved in the Ripper investigation, put forward the theory that the offender could have been Hyam Hyams, a cigar maker.
Despite various theories and claims, there is still no consensus on the true identity of Jack the Ripper.
In this era where AI can inadvertently create an unknown fifth member of The Beatles, it was only a matter of time before it was tasked with envisioning the face of Jack the Ripper.
When the New York Post unveiled the AI-generated image, Twitter/X users swiftly mocked the outlet’s portrayal of the artwork, as well as the description provided (“there’s a new-old serial hottie in town” – yes, really):
I never anticipated that such groundbreaking technology would be so dreadfully mundane, yet
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Jack the Ripper’s visage finally unveiled – here’s AI’s interpretation of the infamous killer’s appearance
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Jack the Ripper’s face finally revealed – here’s how AI envisioned the notoriously alluring killer would appear
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@nypost ‘Finally revealed’ as if it were conclusive. Next line: ‘what AI thinks’.
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True Crime and its repercussions have been catastrophic for humanity
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“Here’s what AI thinks”
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- finally revealed – here’s what AI thinks
outstanding journalism
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When the solar flares disrupt our internet connections, we will have brought it upon ourselves
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the only thing this individual would be doing in the east end is queuing outside Rough Trade
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this is it. this is the post that turned me into the joker
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Even the Community Note attached to the Post’s tweet criticized the depiction, stating: “Claiming ‘finally revealed’ is a stretch. This does not represent his face, and presenting AI-generated images as factual is misleading.
“We do not have a definitive image of Jack the Ripper – he has only been described by a witness as ‘a fair-haired man of medium build with a shabby appearance.’”
Others emphasized the importance of not romanticizing and sensationalizing one of history’s most heinous murderers:
‘Dashing…dangerously dreamy’ Oh dismiss @nypost ! This is not the face of the unknown female killer ‘finally revealed’, and the sexualization and glamorization of violence against women needs to stop.
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In my initial Victorian literature lecture each Spring, I explicitly state that we will not delve into Jack the Ripper, as he was a repugnant nobody of no significant historical relevance. For those curious, I recommend reading Hallie Rubenhold’s “The Five” instead.
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Just a reminder that 5 women were brutally slain. Just because it occurred over 130 years ago does not make it ‘fun to trivialize.’ ‘Jack the Ripper’ should be a shameful chapter of our past, highlighting our preference for storytelling over apprehending a criminal.
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a) AI has no authentic knowledge of Jack the Ripper’s appearance b) cease with the glorification of a violent criminal: “Move over, Ted Bundy – there’s a new-old serial hottie in town.”
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Yet another reason to be slightly unnerved by the ascent of AI – you’re welcome.
