Unmasking Venezuelan Celebration Videos and AI Images of Nicolás Maduro.
Computer-created images purporting to show Nicolás Maduro under arrest after his apprehension by the United States have garnered tens of millions of impressions on social media.
The Way AI Images of Maduro Surfaced Soon After
The first inauthentic AI image seemingly showing him led off a aircraft circulated a brief time later. The graphic was not shared any verified government accounts; rather, it was published on the platform X by an account purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
Our analysis used an AI-watermark detector, confirming the image was produced or modified with generative AI.
Further AI-generated images started circulating in the ensuing hours, purporting to present more angles of Maduro in custody. Visible logos on these pictures indicate they were posted by an Instagram profile named ultravfx.
The detection tool confirms the further pictures were similarly generated or edited generative models.
Authentic Image Posted but Fabrications Persisted
Donald Trump posted the first real photo of Nicolás Maduro handcuffed aboard the US Navy ship on Saturday morning. Yet following the authentic image was published, synthetic pictures kept circulating but were modified to show the grey tracksuit seen on Maduro.
Digital forensics indicate these updated fakes were initially shared on the video platform by a digital art account. Similarly, the AI-watermark detector found these further images were created or altered generative artificial intelligence.
Key Points:
- Synthetic media gained traction following the announcement of the president's apprehension.
- The first fake image was shared on the same day on social media.
- Detection software like Google’s SynthID helped to identify the images as inauthentic.
- Fake images persisted to spread and be updated despite the publication of real photographs.
- The origin of many fabricated images was traced to specific online profiles focused on AI art.
