Debunking Venezuela Victory Videos and AI-Generated Pictures of Nicolás Maduro.
Synthetic images purporting to show Nicolás Maduro under arrest following his capture by the United States have garnered tens of millions of views online.
How Fake Pictures of the President Surfaced Soon After
The first fake synthetic picture seemingly showing him being escorted off a aircraft circulated a brief time later. The picture was absent from any authoritative American sources; rather, it was published on X by an account purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
Our analysis used Google’s SynthID, confirming the image was generated or edited with AI tools.
Further synthetic visuals began to spread in the following hours, seemingly depicting more angles of Maduro in custody. Noticeable identifying marks on the graphics indicate they originated from an Instagram account called ultravfx.
SynthID indicates the further images were similarly produced using AI technology.
Authentic Image Posted but Fakes Persisted
The former US president shared the genuine photograph of Maduro in handcuffs aboard the US Navy ship on that morning. But even after this confirmation was published, AI-generated pictures kept circulating but were updated to incorporate the grey athletic wear seen on Maduro.
Reverse image searches reveal the new fake images were originally uploaded on the video platform by a graphic design profile. Again, analysis confirms these subsequent pictures were produced with AI tools.
Main Takeaways:
- AI-generated content spread rapidly after the events of the president's apprehension.
- The first fake picture was shared within hours on platform X.
- Detection software like AI-watermark detectors were used to confirm the pictures as AI-generated.
- Fabrications continued to spread and be updated even after the release of authentic photographs.
- The source of several fabricated images was linked to specific online accounts focused on AI art.