Debunking Venezuela Celebration Videos and AI Images of Maduro.
Computer-created pictures claiming to depict Nicolás Maduro in custody after his capture by the United States have gained countless of views on social media.
The Way AI Images of the President Emerged Within Hours
Initial inauthentic AI image seemingly showing him taken off a aircraft surfaced shortly after. This image was unpublished by any official American sources; it was instead posted on X by an account purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
Our analysis used an AI-watermark detector, which found the image was created or altered with AI tools.
Further AI-generated images began to spread in the following period, purporting to present additional perspectives of Maduro in custody. Discernible logos on these pictures show they came from an Instagram account named ultravfx.
The detection tool indicates these additional pictures were similarly produced using Google AI.
Real Photo Released but Fakes Continued
The former US president released the first real photo of Maduro restrained aboard the USS Iwo Jima on Saturday morning. But even after this real photo was published, AI-generated images kept circulating but were modified to incorporate the grey tracksuit seen on Maduro.
Online investigation reveal the new fake images were first posted on TikTok by a graphic design profile. Similarly, SynthID found the new graphics were created or altered generative artificial intelligence.
Main Takeaways:
- AI-generated content circulated quickly after the announcement of Maduro's capture.
- The first fake picture was shared on the same day on platform X.
- Tools like Google’s SynthID were used to verify the images as AI-generated.
- Fake images continued to circulate and be updated despite the publication of authentic photographs.
- The origin of many fakes was traced to social media profiles focused on graphic design.