Unmasking Venezuelan Victory Videos and AI Images of Maduro.
Synthetic images purporting to show Nicolás Maduro detained after his capture by the American authorities have amassed tens of millions of impressions online.
How AI Images of the President Appeared Within Hours
The first fake synthetic picture apparently displaying him being escorted off a plane surfaced a brief time later. The graphic was absent from any official US channels; it was instead published on X by an profile describing itself as an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
Our analysis used the SynthID tool, determining the image was created or altered with Google AI.
More synthetic visuals began to spread in the following period, purporting to present different views of the leader detained. Noticeable identifying marks on these images show they came from an Instagram profile called ultravfx.
SynthID indicates the further pictures were likewise generated or edited AI technology.
Real Photo Posted but Fakes Persisted
Donald Trump shared the first real photo of Maduro handcuffed aboard the US Navy ship on Saturday morning. But even after the authentic image was published, AI-generated pictures persisted online but were modified to include the grey tracksuit worn by Maduro.
Reverse image searches show these updated fakes were first posted on TikTok by a digital art profile. Again, SynthID confirms the new graphics were created or altered generative artificial intelligence.
Important Facts:
- Synthetic media spread rapidly following the events of Maduro's capture.
- The first fake image was shared very quickly on social media.
- Tools like AI-watermark detectors helped to verify the images as AI-generated.
- Fabrications continued to circulate and be updated despite the publication of authentic photographs.
- The source of several fabricated images was linked to specific online accounts focused on AI art.
