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Can You Tell If These Images Are Real Or AI?

@smartworkai on TikTok asked her audience to take part in a fun challenge of guessing which photos are real or AI-generated – and I guarantee you'll get most of them wrong.

By Nicole Dominique2 min read
Screenshot Capture - 2024-01-16 - 13-21-15
TikTok/@smartworkai

A woman who educates others on AI, its advances, and its utilities (@smartworkai on TikTok) asked her audience to take part in a fun challenge of guessing which photos are real or AI-generated.

There's no doubt that AI is advancing quickly. Some AI-generated images look so real that we'd never even think to ask ourselves if it's fake (at least at first glance). Of course, this raises concerns like AI-generated nude images of women getting made or other false and damaging photos that could potentially defame someone.

So, let's see how well you'll do on this challenge that @smartworkai on TikTok created. "Look very closely at this image and tell me, is this a real photo?" she asks her audience. The photo she gives as an example shows several people in line to get food.

Real or Fake? The First Example

Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai
Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai

Answer: It's fake. @smartworkai zooms into the image to prove that AI made it. "This man's belly is being sliced in half by a marble countertop right now," she notes, adding, "This woman's wrist has a weird little bracelet that's kind of digging in and cutting off randomly. Also, both of them have four fingers." When in doubt, look at the hands!

The content creator adds that the background sign is blurry, and the letters seem made up. "It's going to be incredibly important that if you see an image online – especially one of a public figure or someone running for office – that you ask yourself, 'Could this image be AI-generated?'"

In another video @smartworkai made, she provides six photos. Can you guess which ones are AI-generated and which ones are real? Keep reading to see the answer.

Image #1

Screenshot/TikTok@smartworkai
Screenshot/TikTok@smartworkai

Image #2

Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai
Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai

Image #3

Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai
Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai

Image #4

Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai
Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai

Image #5

Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai
Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai

Image #6

Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai
Screenshot/TikTok/@smartworkai

Answer: Most of these pictures look real, at least in my opinion. However, only one of them isn't AI-generated. Out of all these images, #3 – the group of people enjoying a concert – is the only legit one! @smartworkai analyzes each image in a separate video to find the answer, which you can see here.

Does AI have its benefits? Absolutely. AI can enhance efficiency through things like task automation and data analysis and provide problem-solving tips for work challenges, etc. But the reason why this topic is important is because we are bombarded with pictures from the media every day – and a lot of us don't stop to ask ourselves if they're even real. Privacy takes a hit too. AI's ability to create lifelike images makes you wonder – could your face end up in some horrific digital photo without your consent?

And let's not forget the unrealistic standards that AI perpetuates. With the rise of flawless faces, bodies, and digital influencers, women risk falling into the idea that this is what they should look like. As AI advances, I hope we all get better at remaining skeptical on the internet before jumping to conclusions and verifying our sources.

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