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AI-generated graphics claiming to show Venezuela's president detained after his capture by the US have gained countless of impressions across the internet.

The Way Fake Pictures of Maduro Emerged Rapidly

Initial fake AI image apparently showing him being escorted off a aircraft surfaced a brief time later. The graphic was unpublished by any official government accounts; it was instead published on the platform X by an profile purporting to be an “AI video art enthusiast”.

Verification involved the SynthID tool, which found the image was produced or modified with Google AI.

Additional synthetic visuals started circulating in the ensuing hours, seemingly depicting different views of the leader under guard. Visible identifying marks on these images show they originated from an Instagram account called ultravfx.

SynthID confirms these additional pictures were also generated or edited Google AI.

Authentic Image Released but Fakes Continued

The former US president shared the first real photo of Nicolás Maduro in handcuffs aboard the USS Iwo Jima on that morning. Yet following the authentic image was made public, AI-generated pictures persisted online but were altered to incorporate the grey tracksuit worn by Maduro.

Reverse image searches indicate these altered fabrications were first posted on the video platform by a digital art profile. Again, SynthID says the new graphics were produced with generative artificial intelligence.

Main Takeaways:

• AI-generated content circulated quickly after the events of the president's apprehension.
• The initial fabricated picture appeared very quickly on social media.
• Tools like AI-watermark detectors were used to identify the pictures as AI-generated.
• Fake images continued to circulate and evolve even after the release of authentic photographs.
• The origin of many fakes was linked to social media accounts focused on graphic design.