Exposing Venezuela Victory Footage and AI Images of Nicolás Maduro.
AI-generated graphics purporting to depict Nicolás Maduro detained following his apprehension by the American authorities have amassed many millions of views across the internet.
How Fake Pictures of the President Appeared Rapidly
Initial fake synthetic picture apparently displaying him being escorted off a aircraft surfaced within hours. The graphic was absent from any official government accounts; it was instead uploaded on the platform X by an profile purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”.
We’ve checked Google’s SynthID, which found the picture was generated or edited with Google AI.
More synthetic images started circulating in the following hours, seemingly depicting additional perspectives of Maduro under guard. Visible identifying marks on these images indicate they came from an Instagram account called ultravfx.
SynthID says all of these pictures were likewise generated or edited AI technology.
Authentic Image Released but Fabrications Persisted
The former US president released the first real photo of Maduro in handcuffs aboard the USS Iwo Jima on Saturday morning. But even after the authentic image was published, synthetic images continued to spread but were altered to incorporate the grey tracksuit worn by Maduro.
Online investigation indicate these updated fakes were originally uploaded on the video platform by a graphic design profile. Again, SynthID confirms these subsequent pictures were created or altered AI tools.
Key Points:
- Deepfakes circulated quickly following the events of Maduro's capture.
- The first fake image was shared within hours on platform X.
- Tools like Google’s SynthID were used to verify the images as inauthentic.
- Fabrications persisted to circulate and evolve even after the publication of authentic images.
- The origin of many fakes was traced to specific online profiles focused on AI art.
