Exposing Venezuelan Victory Footage and AI Images of Maduro.
AI-generated images purporting to depict Nicolás Maduro under arrest following his capture by the US have gained countless of views across the internet.
The Way Fake Pictures of the President Appeared Rapidly
The first inauthentic AI image apparently displaying him taken off a plane surfaced within hours. This image was not shared any official American sources; it was instead uploaded on the platform X by an account purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
We’ve checked the SynthID tool, determining the picture was created or altered with generative AI.
Additional synthetic pictures were disseminated in the subsequent hours, seemingly depicting more angles of Maduro in custody. Noticeable identifying marks on these pictures show they were posted by an Instagram profile called ultravfx.
SynthID says these additional pictures were likewise generated or edited AI technology.
Authentic Image Posted but Fabrications Persisted
The former US president posted the first real photo of Maduro restrained aboard the US Navy ship on Saturday morning. But even after this real photo was made public, AI-generated pictures persisted online but were altered to include the gray sweatsuit worn by Maduro.
Reverse image searches indicate these updated fakes were first posted on TikTok by a digital art profile. Similarly, SynthID found the new graphics were created or altered AI tools.
Key Points:
- Synthetic media gained traction after the events of Maduro's capture.
- The first fake picture was shared on the same day on social media.
- Tools like AI-watermark detectors were used to confirm the pictures as inauthentic.
- Fabrications persisted to spread and evolve even after the publication of authentic images.
- The origin of many fakes was traced to specific online profiles focused on AI art.
