So AI can make optical illusions now

Ever since image-generation tools began to emerge last year, controversy has followed AI everywhere it goes. But while there are plenty of legitimate concerns regarding ethics and copyright, we've seen a few fun applications of the tech – and these typographical optical illusions are a perfect example.

Stable Diffusion users have been sharing images on Twitter (sorry, X) that look, at first glance, like fairly standard images of people. But take a step back, and it becomes clear that they're spelling out words and messages. (Looking for more typographical inspiration? Check out the best free fonts available right now.)

In the example above, shared by the Stable Diffusion AI Art Twitter account, a rather mournfully dressed group walks towards the camera in a bustling city. But when squinting, their bodies come together to read, 'OBEY'.

In a similar example (below), a woman crouches on a wet street and stares (again, rather mournfully) at her reflection. What you might not spot immediately is that she resembles the Bitcoin logo. 

While the power of AI image generation has been pretty mind-blowing for a while now (just look how far it's come in one year), there's something particularly impressive about its ability to create illusory images that still make perfect visual sense. For more mind-benders, take a look at the best optical illusions ever, and see our guide to the best AI art generators if you're keen to experiment yourself.