How to tell if an image or video is AI-generated
AI can now produce photos and videos that look real at a glance. There's no single trick that catches them all, but a few habits catch most of the ones that matter, because they check the story around the picture, not just the picture.
Updated . General information for everyday use, not professional advice.
Check where it came from
- Who posted it first? A screenshot of a screenshot, with no original source, is a warning sign.
- Is a news outlet you already trust reporting the same thing?
- Does it want something from you, like money, a share or panic?
Look for flaws, but don't rely on them
The FBI suggests looking for details such as distorted hands or feet, unrealistic teeth or eyes, and faces that look irregular. Newer fakes have fewer of these, so a clean-looking image is not proof it's real.