The Eyes Don’t Have It

You’ve probably heard the sayings, “seeing is believing” and “a picture is worth a thousand words.” These phrases are becoming less true as AI-generated images and videos gain prominence. Now, anyone with some time and a computer can create realistic-looking images of people doing all sorts of things, often questionable.

A recent example is an image of Pope Francis that went viral. In the picture, the pope is seen wearing a trendy Balenciaga puffer coat, a luxury item costing up to $4,000. The coat was tailored with a wide belt similar to those on the pope’s robes. However, the image was entirely generated by AI.

On X (formerly known as Twitter), some observant users quickly identified the picture as fake. But how could they tell? According to experts at National Geographic, AI images often have telltale signs that give them away.

One of the most critical areas to inspect is the eyes. In real images, the reflections in each eye should match, and the pupils should be perfectly round. In AI images, these details can often appear incorrect. For instance, each eye’s reflection might differ, or the pupils may not look quite right.

Hands are another giveaway. AI has trouble rendering hands correctly, sometimes creating images with the wrong number of fingers or with hands holding objects in unnatural ways. In the viral photo of Pope Francis, he was depicted holding a paper coffee cup by its lid tab, which seemed odd and out of place.

Light and shadow are also tricky for AI to mimic accurately. Natural light and shadow interact with objects and people in specific ways that AI doesn’t always get right. In the fake photo of Pope Francis, his cross appeared to float away from his coat, ignoring the effects of gravity, which is a common AI mistake.

While it’s possible to spot these flaws now, it won’t be long before AI technology improves enough to fix these errors. As AI continues to advance rapidly, it will become more challenging to distinguish between real and fake images.

So, how can you protect yourself from being fooled by AI-generated images? The best strategy is not to rely solely on what you see. Cross-check information and be cautious about believing images that seem too unusual or striking. Always consider the source and context of the image. If something looks suspicious, there’s a good chance it might not be real.

Staying informed and vigilant is essential as we move forward in this digital age. Knowing how to spot fake images can help you navigate a world where seeing isn’t always believing.