Exposing Venezuelan Victory Videos and AI Images of Nicolás Maduro.
Computer-created images claiming to portray Nicolás Maduro in custody after his apprehension by the US have amassed tens of millions of views on social media.
The Way Fake Pictures of the President Surfaced Soon After
The first inauthentic synthetic picture seemingly showing him taken off a plane circulated shortly after. This image was not shared any official American sources; it was instead published on X by an profile describing itself as an “AI video art enthusiast”.
We’ve checked the SynthID tool, confirming the image was created or altered with generative AI.
More synthetic pictures began to spread in the ensuing period, purporting to present additional perspectives of the leader in custody. Discernible logos on these pictures show they originated from an Instagram account called ultravfx.
SynthID confirms these additional images were similarly produced using AI technology.
Authentic Image Released but Fakes Continued
The former US president released the initial authentic image of Maduro in handcuffs aboard the USS Iwo Jima on Saturday morning. Yet following this real photo was published, AI-generated pictures continued to spread but were updated to incorporate the gray sweatsuit worn by Maduro.
Digital forensics indicate the new fake images were first posted on TikTok by a digital art profile. Similarly, analysis found these subsequent pictures were generated or edited AI tools.
Important Facts:
- Deepfakes circulated quickly following the news of the president's apprehension.
- The initial fabricated picture was shared very quickly on social media.
- Tools like Google’s SynthID were used to confirm the pictures as inauthentic.
- Fake images continued to spread and be updated even after the release of authentic images.
- The origin of many fakes was linked to social media accounts focused on graphic design.
