Image generators function somewhat similarly to text generators (such as ChatGPT), in that they use probability to predict how empty spaces should be filled based on context. The quality is steadily improving, but upon closer inspection, there is often something slightly off.

In 2023, British journalist Eliot Higgins created a satirical series of AI-generated images using the image generator Midjourney v5, depicting Donald Trump in various scenarios such as being arrested, imprisoned, and eating at a fast-food restaurant. At the time, Trump was under investigation for several different matters. One of the images, shown below, was shared millions of times, often without any indication that it was AI-generated and not real. In other words, it was uncritically circulated as a sensational news photograph.

Can you spot signs that this image has been generated?

How would you check if the situation in the picture is actual?

What we think (klick to open)

Errors in the image itself will reveal it quickly, but this image was generated in 2023, and since then, AI technology has taken giant leaps forward. Would it be just as easy to recognize an image or video of the same subject if it were generated today?

The best approach would likely be lateral reading to find the sender and verify the story. You would search for the situation to investigate whether other sources can verify it. An reverse image search is also a good way to find more information about a picture's origin.

Errors in images can often be detected, but imagine that the situation described below is presented in text within an AI-generated article. In generated texts, it is more difficult to identify inaccuracies, and there is also the risk that those who generated the text have produced multiple variations.

Click on a place in the image where you think something strange is happening.

Image: Higgins, E. [@EliotHiggins] (2023) "Donald Trump falling over while getting arrested. Fibonacci Spiral. News footage." gave me the following: [Post]. X.

Do you want to know more?

If you want to see and assess more images from the series of pictures and see an AI image of Trump that he himself has published, you can look at this article from the BBC.

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