Spotting AI-Generated Content: Practical Tips and Analysis

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Hi, Mike here! The rapid evolution of AI-generated visuals has brought both incredible opportunities and a rising need for vigilance. While AI-created content can be fun and innovative, it also poses risks when used to mislead or deceive. Learning to spot the subtle clues in these images can help you avoid falling for fakes. I’ve put together a guide with practical tips and a deep dive into several examples, using side-by-side comparisons.

General Tips to Spot AI-Generated Content

Before we dive into specific examples, let’s start with some general strategies you can apply to almost any image:

1. Check for Visual Inconsistencies
   AI often struggles with symmetry, proportions, and fine details. Look for features that seem “off,” such as mismatched eyes, missing fingers, or oddly shaped objects.

2. Analyze Text and Patterns
   AI-generated text is notoriously unreliable. Look for gibberish, blurred letters, or repetitive patterns in backgrounds and designs.

3. Inspect Lighting and Shadows
   In many cases, shadows in AI images don’t align with the light source, or they might be missing altogether. Check if the lighting on the subject matches the environment.

4. Zoom in on Hands, Teeth, and Eyes
   These are weak points for most AI models. Extra fingers, continuous tooth strips, and misaligned reflections in the eyes are dead giveaways.

5. Trust Your Instincts
   If an image feels too perfect or something doesn’t seem quite right, dig deeper. Tools like reverse image searches or deepfake detectors can help confirm your suspicions.

Example Breakdown: Side-by-Side Comparisons

Let’s explore some examples that illustrate these principles in action.

1. Suffragette Protest: Blurred Hair and Illegible Text

• AI-generated Issues: Hair looks smudged and unnatural, and the protest signs have illegible, gibberish text.

• Real Photo Details: Hair appears well-defined, and the text on the signs is crisp and readable.

👉 Tip: AI often struggles with text embedded in images. Blurry or nonsensical letters are a common red flag.

2. Egyptian Papyrus: Inaccurate Hieroglyphs and Missing Hands

• AI-generated Issues: The hieroglyphs are inaccurate and look more like random symbols. One character is missing hands altogether.

• Real Photo Details: The hieroglyphs are precise and follow the consistent style of ancient Egyptian art.

👉 Tip: In historical or artistic images, AI tends to generate details that feel approximate rather than authentic.

3. Pangolin: Incorrect Eye and Feet

• AI-generated Issues: The eye is misplaced, and the feet have unrealistic proportions.

• Real Photo Details: The pangolin’s eye and feet look anatomically correct and lifelike.

👉 Tip: Animal anatomy is another area where AI struggles. Look for irregularities in size, placement, or texture.

4. Northern Lights: Wrinkled Textures and Reflection Errors

• AI-generated Issues: The aurora borealis has unnatural wrinkled patterns, and the reflection in the water doesn’t match.

• Real Photo Details: The lights are smooth, and the reflection accurately mirrors the sky.

👉 Tip: Reflections are a key indicator of authenticity. AI often fails to align them with the main subject.

5. Hong Kong Skyline: Missing Buildings and Warped Shapes

• AI-generated Issues: Parts of the skyline are missing, and some buildings have distorted edges.

• Real Photo Details: The cityscape is complete, with well-defined architectural details.

👉 Tip: Urban landscapes generated by AI often feature incomplete or warped structures.

6. Rocket Launch: Simple Shuttle and Lacking Detail

• AI-generated Issues: The rocket appears oversimplified, missing intricate designs like panels and rivets.

• Real Photo Details: The shuttle is rich in detail, showcasing textures and realistic lighting.

👉 Tip: In high-tech or mechanical scenes, lack of detail can reveal an AI-generated image.

7. Mount Fuji: Lacking Detail in Leaves and Incorrect Bank

• AI-generated Issues: The autumn leaves are blurry and lack depth, while the lakebank looks incorrect.

• Real Photo Details: The leaves have sharp edges and texture, and the bank aligns with the reflection.

👉 Tip: Nature scenes often reveal AI weaknesses in recreating textures and organic forms.

8. Kids Doing Art: Misplaced Hands

• AI-generated Issues: One child’s hand is awkwardly positioned, with fingers blending into the table.

• Real Photo Details: Hands are properly aligned with natural postures.

👉 Tip: AI often misplaces hands or makes them appear unnaturally bent.

9. Titanic: Inconsistent Masts and Chimneys

• AI-generated Issues: The masts and chimneys are misaligned, and the lighting doesn’t match the scene.

• Real Photo Details: The ship’s features are accurate, and the lighting is consistent with its surroundings.

👉 Tip: Historical images generated by AI often have subtle but telling inaccuracies in construction or scale.

10. Poison Dart Frog: Simple, Round Spots

• AI-generated Issues: The frog’s pattern is overly simplistic, with uniformly round spots.

• Real Photo Details: The frog features complex, irregular patterns that follow its natural texture.

👉 Tip: When examining animal patterns, look for symmetry and texture inconsistencies.

Reverse Image Search: Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Using reverse image search is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to determine if an image is AI-generated, manipulated, or simply a copy of an existing photograph. Here’s how you can do it with two widely-used tools: Google Images and TinEye.

Using Google Images

Step 1: Open Google Images.

Step 2: Upload the Image

• Click on the camera icon in the search bar.
  (On mobile, you may need to tap the search bar and select “Search by Image” or upload directly from your device.)

• Select one of the following options:

  • Paste Image URL: If the image is online, copy its URL and paste it.

  • Upload an Image: Click “Upload a file” and choose the image from your device.

Step 3: Review the Results

• Google will show you visually similar images or other websites where the same or similar images are used.

• Look for:

  • Original Sources: Does the image appear on credible sites or platforms?

  • Altered Versions: Are there variations of the image (e.g., different backgrounds or objects)?

Example in Action:
You upload an image of a rocket launch. The search results reveal that the image has been altered from a NASA stock photo, with additional clouds generated by AI.

Using TinEye

Step 1: Go to TinEye.

Step 2: Upload the Image or Enter the URL

• On TinEye’s homepage, you’ll see an upload button. Select the image you want to analyze or paste the image URL if it’s hosted online.

Step 3: View the Results

• TinEye will display:

  • Exact Matches: Where the exact same image appears online.

  • Modified Versions: TinEye specializes in detecting cropped, edited, or color-altered versions of the original image.

  • Timeline of Use: You can see when and where the image was first indexed, which helps determine if the image existed before AI could have generated it.

Example in Action:
You upload an image of a historical protest. TinEye identifies the original photo in an online archive, but the version you uploaded has gibberish text on protest signs—a clear sign of manipulation.

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How Reverse Image Search Helps Detect AI-Generated Content

Reveals Pre-Existing Photos: If an AI-generated image is based on an existing stock or historical photo, reverse search will show the original.

Identifies Tampering: If the image you upload doesn’t match other versions online, it’s a clue that it may have been manipulated by AI or edited.

Tracks Image Provenance: Understanding where an image has appeared and how it has been used can reveal its authenticity.

Pro Tips for Effective Reverse Image Searches

Crop Before Uploading: If the image is part of a collage or contains unnecessary elements, crop the key section to focus your search.

Try Different Tools: If Google Images doesn’t give detailed results, TinEye often picks up alterations and variations better.

Analyze Metadata Alongside Results: Combine reverse image search with metadata tools (e.g., ExifTool) to gain deeper insights about the file’s origin.

By following these steps, you can quickly and easily verify whether an image is authentic, manipulated, or AI-generated. It’s an invaluable method for anyone trying to stay ahead of misinformation!

Final Thoughts

AI-generated images are getting better every day, but they’re far from perfect. By applying these tips and scrutinizing the kinds of flaws I highlighted in these examples, you’ll be much better equipped to spot the fakes. Whether it’s for fun, research, or avoiding scams, understanding the visual “tells” of AI is an essential skill in today’s digital world.

Have any tips or examples of your own? Let’s connect—I’d love to hear about them, email me [email protected]. You can also check out our podcast, Artificial Antics, where I dive deeper into topics like this.