The rise of 'housefishing' - when does using AI go from enhancing to misleading?

The rise of 'housefishing' - when does using AI go from enhancing to misleading?

Experts warn that using AI to enhance property images can go too far and mislead prospective buyers.

From repainted walls to imaginary lawns, estate agents are increasingly using the technology to make homes seem more appealing, arguing it helps buyers visualise the potential of a place.

But experts warn it can go too far and mislead prospective buyers - a trend dubbed 'housefishing'.

The images Olivia Nicole saw of a home on Rightmove (l) were completely different to how the property looked in real life (r)

Have you ever been impressed by the pictures of a property on an estate agent's website, only to find the place looks completely different when you view it in person?

Then there's a chance that AI was used to enhance the images you saw.

How much AI enhancement is too much?

Earlier this year Olivia Nicole, 29, was searching online for five-bedroom properties in south-west London when a house on Rightmove caught her eye.

But when she arrived to view it several days later she initially thought she had come to the wrong place.

The rooms were much smaller than they were in the pictures and the decor was totally different,