Artificial Intelligence and climate change: imaginaries, visualities and narrative disputes in the daily life of the Global South

The article analyzes the circulation of images generated by artificial intelligence during the 2024 climate catastrophe in Rio Grande do Sul. Based on principles adapted from the methodology of constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2009; Câmara, 2025), the study analyzes ten journalistic articles published on news portals in May 2024, which explicitly address the use of false or synthetic images generated by artificial intelligence in association with the climate event. It is observed how the image in moments of crisis is no longer just a record of reality, but is structured as an essential element for the circulation of false narratives, despite the effort of journalism to bring information to the public. It is concluded that journalistic authority, in the face of the instability of synthetic images, reconfigures itself by shifting its legitimacy from the testimonial claim to the transparent demonstration of the verification procedures that sustain the construction of factual reality.