Unmasking Venezuela Celebration Videos and AI-Generated Pictures of Nicolás Maduro.
Synthetic images purporting to portray Venezuela's president in custody after his capture by the US have amassed many millions of impressions online.
How Fake Pictures of the President Emerged Rapidly
Initial fake AI image seemingly displaying him being escorted off a aircraft circulated shortly after. The picture was absent from any verified American sources; rather, it was posted on X by an profile purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
Verification involved the SynthID tool, confirming the image was generated or edited with generative AI.
More AI-generated images were disseminated in the subsequent hours, seemingly depicting more angles of the leader detained. Noticeable logos on the graphics indicate they originated from an Instagram profile called ultravfx.
AI analysis confirms the further images were similarly generated or edited generative models.
Authentic Image Posted but Fabrications Continued
Donald Trump shared the initial authentic image of Maduro in handcuffs aboard the USS Iwo Jima on that morning. But even after the authentic image was made public, synthetic images kept circulating but were modified to incorporate the grey athletic wear seen on Maduro.
Digital forensics show these updated fakes were initially shared on TikTok by a digital art profile. Similarly, analysis found the new graphics were generated or edited AI tools.
Key Points:
- Synthetic media gained traction after the events of the president's apprehension.
- The first fake image appeared within hours on social media.
- Tools like Google’s SynthID were used to confirm the pictures as synthetic.
- Fabrications persisted to circulate and evolve despite the publication of authentic images.
- The origin of many fakes was traced to social media accounts dedicated to AI art.
