DeepFake images are currently flooding the internet posing a new threat for internet users.
AI-generated images often have oddities that one can easily find if they observe these synthetic images.
There’s no need to panic. There are tools that one can use to identify AI-generated images, though they never give 100% certainty.
In this era of AI image generation, it has become extremely difficult to trust what human eyes see. Whether it’s a strikingly convincing portrait or a massively viral meme, everything is made of synthetic images to make them attractive to the eye.
Social media and the internet are flooded with AI images, making it challenging to distinguish between genuine and AI-generated images.
The task is difficult, but not impossible. There are certain things that one can check to ensure whether an image is real or a DeepFake. So, if you are bothered by these fake AI images and want to know how to get rid of them, here are the reliable methods to go for:
Before you start identifying whether an image is AI-generated or not, there are several factors one can check to find the imperfections:
Hands, Limbs & Anatomy: AI is not human after all. So, often AI tools misrender complex anatomy; precisely, AI-generated images often have extra fingers, disconnected arms, and other issues that one can spot with some attention.
Specifically, hands are the most troublesome to make using AI. Even Call of Duty developers faced criticism for generating posters with AI, which had six fingers in the hands of a zombie model of Santa. A close observation will raise suspicion.
Eyes, Teeth, Facial Boundaries: Next come the most important areas of an image, facial features. This is another weak point that AI can’t handle smoothly.
In DeepFake images, teeth often appear blurry, or else they are unrealistically smooth. The edges of faces also sometimes become mismatched to the skin tone. Otherwise, the skin tone becomes too glossy to be true.
Lighting and Shadows: AI mostly struggles with consistent lighting. So, often AI-generated images have the subject properly in light, while the shadow or the backdrop looks dull.
Geometry & Detail Repetition: AI doesn’t have a geometrical understanding like humans. So, AI-generated images often lack realism. They have buildings in some impossible angles or repeat identical patterns in multiple images.
Also Read: Corporate Deepfake Fraud: The Rise of AI-Powered Financial Scams
Now that one has understood the oddities to look for in an image to suspect it as AI-generated, here are some bonus tips to confirm the suspicion:
Reverse Image Search: The first method is to upload the image to tools like Google Images, TinEye, or Yandex. If matches appear, it’s probably a real image.
However, the catch is that if there's no match, or the image only appears on AI forums or stock‑photo platforms, it’s highly possible to be a synthetic image.
Use AI Detection Tools: A reliable method to identify fake AI images is to use detector tools. One can choose OpenAI’s DALL·E detector, Microsoft Authenticity Service, and Intel’s FakeCatcher to analyze images to know whether they are AI-generated or not.
Check Metadata (EXIF): It's a little complicated, but one can go for it. If you suspect an image is AI-generated, inspect the image’s metadata.
AI-generated images often lack camera origin or GPS data or sometimes show evidence of editing. The presence or absence of metadata can be an important factor in identifying DeepFake images.
AI-generated images are advancing fast. In some cases, they even become troublesome for internet users. Therefore, one must find advanced tools and knowledge for identifying AI-generated images.
Artificial intelligence can do multiple works, but it’s not perfect. So, certain flaws will be there in every DeepFake image. Whether that’s a flawed hand, inconsistent lighting, or strange textures, there must be something to detect an AI image.
The methods this article mentions work in most cases. However, none of them offers a complete guarantee. Therefore, one must rely on their observation to detect a fake image.
Also Read: AI-Generated Realities: Deepfake Trends to Watch in 2025
1. What are the most common signs that a photo is AI-generated or fake?
Ans: To identify an AI-generated image look for unnatural details like distorted hands, asymmetrical faces, overly smooth or glossy skin, inconsistent lighting, and backgrounds that appear patched together or contain odd elements.
2. How can I verify if an image is real or AI-generated?
Ans: To do that, one must check for visual anomalies, use reverse image search, inspect metadata for inconsistencies, and look for oddities like pixelation or mismatched resolutions between different parts of the image.
3. Why do hands and text in AI images often look strange?
Ans: AI struggles with complex structures like hands and written text, often producing distorted fingers, impossible poses, or garbled, unreadable writing that doesn’t make logical sense.
4. Are there tools or websites that can detect AI-generated images?
Ans: Yes, there are online tools and browser extensions designed to analyze images for AI signatures, check metadata, and flag visual inconsistencies typical of AI-generated photos.
5. What should I look for in the background or lighting of a photo to spot fakes?
Ans: Watch for inconsistent shadows, mismatched lighting, overly perfect or surreal backgrounds, and elements that seem out of place or contextually incorrect in the scene.