Unmasking Venezuelan Victory Videos and AI Images of Nicolás Maduro.
Computer-created images purporting to portray Nicolás Maduro in custody after his apprehension by the United States have garnered countless of impressions across the internet.
The Way Fake Pictures of the President Emerged Soon After
The first inauthentic AI image seemingly showing him taken off a aircraft surfaced shortly after. This image was unpublished by any verified American sources; it was instead published on X by an profile describing itself as an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
We’ve checked the SynthID tool, which found the image was created or altered with generative AI.
Additional synthetic images started circulating in the ensuing hours, seemingly depicting additional perspectives of Maduro under guard. Noticeable logos on these pictures show they came from an Instagram profile named ultravfx.
SynthID indicates these additional images were likewise produced using Google AI.
Authentic Image Posted but Fakes Persisted
The former US president released the initial authentic image of Nicolás Maduro handcuffed aboard the US Navy ship on Saturday morning. Yet following this real photo was published, synthetic images continued to spread but were updated to incorporate the grey athletic wear worn by Maduro.
Online investigation indicate these updated fakes were first posted on the video platform by a graphic design account. Similarly, SynthID says these subsequent pictures were created or altered Google AI.
Main Takeaways:
- Deepfakes spread rapidly after the news of Maduro's capture.
- The first fake image appeared within hours on social media.
- Tools like Google’s SynthID helped to verify the images as inauthentic.
- Fabrications continued to spread and be updated even after the release of authentic images.
- The source of several fabricated images was traced to social media profiles focused on graphic design.
