Exposing Venezuela Celebration Footage and AI Images of Nicolás Maduro.
Synthetic graphics purporting to portray Venezuela's president detained after his capture by the United States have gained countless of impressions online.
The Way Fake Pictures of the President Emerged Soon After
Initial fake synthetic picture apparently showing him being escorted off a plane emerged shortly after. The picture was absent from any authoritative US channels; it was instead published on X by an profile purporting to be an “AI video art enthusiast”.
Our analysis used Google’s SynthID, which found the picture was produced or modified with Google AI.
Additional synthetic visuals started circulating in the following period, purporting to present more angles of Maduro detained. Discernible logos on these images show they came from an Instagram profile named ultravfx.
SynthID confirms the further pictures were also produced using AI technology.
Authentic Image Released but Fabrications Persisted
Donald Trump released the genuine photograph of Maduro handcuffed aboard the USS Iwo Jima on that morning. Yet following this real photo was released, synthetic pictures kept circulating but were altered to show the gray sweatsuit seen on Maduro.
Reverse image searches reveal these altered fabrications were initially shared on TikTok by a graphic design account. Again, analysis says the new graphics were produced with generative artificial intelligence.
Main Takeaways:
- Synthetic media spread rapidly following the events of Maduro's capture.
- The initial fabricated picture was shared within hours on social media.
- Detection software like Google’s SynthID were used to verify the pictures as inauthentic.
- Fabrications persisted to spread and be updated even after the publication of real photographs.
- The origin of many fabricated images was linked to specific online accounts focused on AI art.
