Investigators discovered that a 29-year-old taxi driver used ChatGPT to generate images of Los Angeles in flames. Furthermore, mobile phone geolocation data placed him just 10 meters from the fire`s epicenter as it began.
The AI-generated images served as crucial evidence in the case against the man accused of the devastating Los Angeles fire. California authorities announced the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, charging him with arson, which led to one of the most destructive fires in the state`s history.
In January 2025, the natural disaster virtually wiped out Pacific Palisades, a renowned Los Angeles neighborhood home to many Hollywood stars. Rinderknecht, an Uber driver, was living there at the time of the tragedy.
The accused pleaded not guilty. However, his ChatGPT queries were presented in court as undeniable evidence and grounds for his arrest, as they clearly indicated a heightened interest in fires and burning, CNN reported.
During a press conference, authorities described Rinderknecht as an arsonist obsessed with fire. Months before the incident, he viewed rap videos featuring burning objects and used ChatGPT to create images of burning forests and crowds fleeing fires. These queries, among other things, provided insight into Rinderknecht`s psychological state and motives. Specifically, he asked the AI to depict a city divided in half: one side showing a poor district engulfed in flames, and the other showing wealthy residents observing the scene. For the division, he requested a giant fence with massive gates topped by a large dollar sign. According to Uber passengers he drove that day, Rinderknecht appeared agitated and angry. After dropping off his last passenger, he started the fire, called 911, and then fled the scene in his car. He reportedly paused to film passing fire trucks and the work of emergency responders. Eyewitnesses described Pacific Palisades during the fire as resembling a war zone. Dozens of people died, thousands were evacuated, and many homes and businesses were completely destroyed.
Beyond Pacific Palisades, other areas also suffered from the blaze, including Altadena, Malibu, and Eaton. This fire became one of the ten deadliest and the third most destructive in California`s history. The disaster claimed over 30 lives, with damages estimated to exceed $250 billion.
