How can I spot AI-generated fake images?
No single visual flaw proves an image is fake. Source checking is more reliable than hunting for strange fingers or shadows.
Check the original source, look for mismatched details, and confirm the claim with trusted coverage instead of trusting one visual clue.
Why your eyes alone are no longer enough
Early AI images gave themselves away with mangled hands and nonsense text. Generators have since fixed many of those flaws, and a polished fake can now look completely ordinary. A real photo can also look strange, through compression or odd lighting. Judging by looks alone now fails both ways, which is why where an image came from matters more than how it looks.
What to do, step by step
- Pause before sharing, especially if the image makes you angry, amazed, or vindicated.
- Find the original source. Ask who posted it first, where, and what they say it shows.
- Run a reverse image search to see if the picture is older, edited, or from another event.
- Check whether trusted outlets covering the same story use the image, or a different one.
- Use visual clues last: odd hands, text, or lighting can support a doubt, but never settle it alone.
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