27th March 2023 – (Vatican City) Several images of Pope Francis sporting a trendy white puffer coat and a large cross hanging from his neck have been circulating online. However, don’t be fooled, as these images are not real. Instead, they were created using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
The images were initially shared on the r/midjourney subreddit, where users describe the image they want to see using text, and the app generates it for them. Other AI image generators, such as OpenAI’s DALL-E and Stable Diffusion, use similar technology to create realistic-looking images.
The images were so convincing that many people were fooled, including celebrity Chrissy Teigen, who tweeted about the Pope’s supposed new look. People on Twitter agreed that they too were initially confused by the images.
As the use of AI-generated images becomes more prevalent, it’s essential to learn how to spot fake photos. One way to do this is by checking the hands and fingers in a photo. These image-generating apps have yet to perfect the details of hands and fingers, making them a tell-tale sign of a fake photo.
Another way to spot a fake photo is to look at the lighting and shadows in the image. Often, AI-generated images lack realistic lighting, making them appear flat and unrealistic.
It’s also worth examining the context of the photo. Is the person in an unlikely situation or location? Does the photo seem too perfect or staged? These are all signs that the image may not be genuine.
