Exposing Venezuelan Victory Videos and AI-Generated Pictures of Nicolás Maduro.
Computer-created graphics purporting to show Venezuela's president in custody after his capture by the American authorities have garnered countless of views online.
How AI Images of Maduro Emerged Soon After
The first inauthentic synthetic picture apparently displaying him taken off a aircraft circulated shortly after. This image was absent from any verified US channels; rather, it was 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 Google AI.
Further AI-generated visuals were disseminated in the following hours, seemingly depicting more angles of the leader detained. Visible watermarks on these images reveal they were posted by an Instagram account named ultravfx.
AI analysis says the further pictures were also created or altered Google AI.
Real Photo Posted but Fabrications Persisted
Donald Trump shared the initial authentic image of Maduro handcuffed aboard the USS Iwo Jima on Saturday morning. But even after this real photo was published, AI-generated pictures continued to spread but were altered to incorporate the grey tracksuit seen on Maduro.
Online investigation show the new fake images were initially shared on the video platform by a graphic design account. Once again, SynthID confirms these subsequent pictures were produced with AI tools.
Main Takeaways:
- Synthetic media gained traction after the news of Maduro's capture.
- The initial fabricated image appeared on the same day on social media.
- Tools like Google’s SynthID helped to verify the images as AI-generated.
- Fake images persisted to circulate and be updated even after the publication of authentic photographs.
- The origin of several fakes was traced to specific online accounts dedicated to AI art.
