Debunking Venezuela Victory Videos and AI Images of Maduro.
AI-generated pictures purporting to depict Venezuela's president in custody after his apprehension by the American authorities have gained countless of views online.
How AI Images of the President Surfaced Rapidly
Initial inauthentic AI image apparently showing him being escorted off a aircraft surfaced within hours. The graphic was unpublished by any official American sources; rather, it was posted on X by an profile describing itself as an “AI video art enthusiast”.
Verification involved an AI-watermark detector, confirming the image was produced or modified with Google AI.
More synthetic visuals started circulating in the following hours, purporting to present more angles of the leader detained. Visible logos on these pictures reveal they were posted by an Instagram account named ultravfx.
SynthID indicates all of these images were also generated or edited AI technology.
Real Photo Posted but Fabrications Continued
Donald Trump shared the genuine photograph of Maduro handcuffed aboard the USS Iwo Jima on Saturday morning. Yet following the authentic image was made public, AI-generated images continued to spread but were updated to incorporate the grey athletic wear worn by Maduro.
Digital forensics reveal these altered fabrications were first posted on TikTok by a graphic design account. Similarly, the AI-watermark detector confirms the new graphics were created or altered AI tools.
Important Facts:
- Deepfakes gained traction following the events of the president's apprehension.
- The initial fabricated image was shared very quickly on social media.
- Detection software like AI-watermark detectors helped to verify the images as inauthentic.
- Fake images persisted to circulate and evolve even after the publication of real images.
- The origin of many fakes was linked to social media accounts focused on graphic design.
