Debunking Venezuelan Victory Videos and AI-Generated Pictures of Nicolás Maduro.
Computer-created pictures claiming to portray Nicolás Maduro detained following his capture by the United States have garnered tens of millions of views across the internet.
How Fake Pictures of Maduro Surfaced Within Hours
The first inauthentic synthetic picture seemingly displaying him being escorted off a aircraft emerged within hours. This image was absent from any official US channels; rather, it was uploaded on X by an profile purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
Verification involved Google’s SynthID, which found the image was generated or edited with generative AI.
Additional AI-generated pictures started circulating in the following period, appearing to show different views of the leader detained. Noticeable watermarks on the graphics reveal they originated from an Instagram account named ultravfx.
AI analysis indicates these additional images were similarly produced using AI technology.
Authentic Image Released but Fabrications Persisted
The former US president posted the genuine photograph of Maduro handcuffed aboard the USS Iwo Jima on Saturday morning. But even after this real photo was released, synthetic images kept circulating but were modified to incorporate the gray sweatsuit worn by Maduro.
Digital forensics show the new fake images were originally uploaded on the video platform by a graphic design profile. Again, the AI-watermark detector confirms the new graphics were generated or edited Google AI.
Important Facts:
- Synthetic media spread rapidly after the announcement of the president's apprehension.
- The first fake picture was shared on the same day on platform X.
- Detection software like Google’s SynthID helped to confirm the images as AI-generated.
- Fake images persisted to spread and be updated even after the publication of real photographs.
- The source of many fabricated images was linked to social media profiles focused on graphic design.
