Debunking Venezuelan Celebration Footage and AI-Generated Pictures of Nicolás Maduro.
Synthetic images purporting to show Venezuela's president detained after his capture by the US have gained tens of millions of views online.
How Fake Pictures of Maduro Emerged Within Hours
Initial inauthentic synthetic picture apparently displaying him being escorted off a aircraft surfaced within hours. The graphic was unpublished by any authoritative US channels; it was instead posted on the platform X by an profile purporting to be an “AI video art enthusiast”.
We’ve checked an AI-watermark detector, determining the picture was created or altered with generative AI.
Further AI-generated pictures began to spread in the following period, seemingly depicting more angles of Maduro under guard. Discernible watermarks on these images indicate they originated from an Instagram profile called ultravfx.
SynthID says all of these pictures were also generated or edited AI technology.
Authentic Image Posted but Fabrications Continued
Donald Trump shared the initial authentic image of Nicolás Maduro in handcuffs aboard the US Navy ship on that morning. However, despite this confirmation was made public, AI-generated images continued to spread but were modified to show the grey athletic wear seen on Maduro.
Digital forensics reveal the new fake images were initially shared on the video platform by a digital art profile. Similarly, the AI-watermark detector confirms the new graphics were produced with generative artificial intelligence.
Key Points:
- AI-generated content spread rapidly following the events of Maduro's capture.
- The first fake picture appeared within hours on platform X.
- Detection software like AI-watermark detectors were used to confirm the images as synthetic.
- Fabrications continued to circulate and be updated despite the release of authentic photographs.
- The origin of many fabricated images was linked to specific online profiles dedicated to AI art.
