In today's digital world, images are becoming increasingly important for spreading news and information. However, artificial intelligence (AI) has also become involved in the creation of images. But how do you tell whether an image is AI-generated or not?
According to a report by AFP, AIs are capable of generating images that look deceptively real. Using them for harmless purposes, such as illustrating dry text with creative images, is less of a problem. But such images can be used for disinformation campaigns, but also for fraudulent purposes. Technology has evolved so quickly that it has become difficult for the human eye to distinguish fake images from real ones. This is particularly a problem when it comes to disseminating news and information.
It is therefore important to be aware that not every image you see is actually real. However, there are some clues that can help recognize AI-generated images. Errors in the background, unnatural shadows, repeating patterns, incorrect proportions and missing sources can indicate an AI-generated image, as the Tagesschau notes. The following 5 tips should help you identify fake images.
Clues for recognizing AI-generated images
1. Error in the background
AI systems are usually very good at generating human faces and bodies. However, they are often not that good at making the background realistic. Therefore, background errors can be a sign of an AI-generated image.
2. Unnatural shadow
Another sign of an AI-generated image can be an unnatural shadow. While AI systems are capable of generating shadows, they often cannot account for the subtleties of light and shadow that occur in the real world.
3. Repeating patterns
AI systems are often trained with large amounts of data. Therefore, they may generate repeating patterns in images. So if you see an image that has an unusually high number of repeating patterns, it could be an AI-generated image.
4. Incorrect proportions
AI systems can have difficulty correctly calculating the proportions of objects in images. So if you see an image where the proportions of the items look strange, it could be an AI-generated image.
5. No attribution
If you see an image that doesn't have a source attribution, it could be an AI-generated image. Because it is difficult to trace the origin of AI-generated images, it is often difficult to provide attribution.
Conclusion: AI systems have changed the way we look at images. However, it is important to understand that AI-generated images can also be used for disinformation campaigns and fraudulent purposes. By focusing on the above clues, we can learn to distinguish fake images from real ones and protect ourselves from possible threats.
Sources: AFP , tagesschau.de
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Notes:
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