How to spot AI-generated images

Remember when it was easy to spot AI-generated images? These days, you need to look closely to discern what’s real and what’s not. If you can’t tell the difference, you risk falling victim to scams or misinformation.

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By learning the telltale signs of AI images, you can avoid:

• Misinformation. When you read a shocking headline about a world event or celebrity, photos may add credibility to surprising claims. However, these can be easily generated by AI.
• Fraud. Scammers may use AI to make their ploys seem more convincing.
• Online shopping scams. By identifying AI-generated images, you can avoid buying products that don’t actually exist or are misrepresented by fake images.

We’re going over cues that may indicate the image you’re looking at was AI-generated, with examples. Right click on each image and open it in a new tab or zoom into this webpage to see the details more clearly.

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Let’s jump into it!

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An airbrushed, glossy, or plastic texture

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Pause for a moment and examine your hand. On it, you might see all kinds of unique features – freckles, wrinkles, veins, scars, or skin that changes in colour and texture.

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Now, compare that to the AI-generated image below, which is missing all the minor details real skin usually has:

If you look at the woman’s arm and shoulder, you’ll notice her skin has almost no texture – it’s completely smooth and airbrushed. This is a sign that the image you’re looking at may not be of a real person.

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Illegible text

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At first glance, the image below may appear to be of a book on a table. But take a closer look at the pages.

If you zoom in, you’ll see that the pages contain no real text at all – it’s completely illegible. This is another giveaway of an AI-generated image. If you see photos that include books or pages with text, zoom in to see if you can read the words on those pages.

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Strange lighting

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How can you tell if a product you’re looking at online really exists? Another way to spot AI is by looking at the lighting and reflections in an image.

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Take a look at this cup – particularly the disjointed way that light reflects near the rim:

The glossy white reflection stands out as a little unusual. The front design of the cup also appears a little too smooth and airbrushed.

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Little signs like these indicate that if you ordered this product, the mug you’d end up receiving may look very different.

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Distorted hands and faces

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Take a look at the image of a boardroom meeting below. Then, look closely at each person’s face and hands. You’ll notice strange quirks that don’t match reality.

For example, the hand of the person on the left has too many fingers, the person seated in the middle has a strange blurring effect over their face, and the person seated on the far right has a hand that almost disconnects from their arm.

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Nonsensical objects

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The bedroom below has a few objects that give away the fact that it’s generated by AI:

• The chair at the desk has an unusual structure no one could actually sit in.
• If you examine the objects on the upper shelves, some of them are just a blur of colours and not real items.
• The table to the right of the bed has a smeared appearance over its wooden drawers.

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Subtle distortions in the background are a good way to detect whether an image is AI generated or not.

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Other ways to spot fake images

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If you can’t tell whether an image is real, try the following:

• Use a reverse image search tool. Trace the source of the image using a reverse image tool, which will show you if the image you’re looking at has appeared elsewhere. This can help you verify the source of the image. Here’s one tool we recommend: https://tineye.com/
• Find another source. Can you find another website to back up the claims that an article or social media post is making?
• When shopping online, look at user reviews. What are other people saying about this product? User reviews are good indicators of whether photos from the product listing match reality.

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Check out our Cybersecurity Centre

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Want to stay up to date on the latest fraud and scam trends? Staying informed helps you protect yourself and your loved ones. Be sure to bookmark our Cybersecurity Centre and check back often to read the latest articles!