🔗 Share this article Unmasking Venezuela Victory Videos and AI Images of Nicolás Maduro. Computer-created pictures purporting to depict Nicolás Maduro detained following his capture by the US have amassed countless of views on social media. The Way AI Images of the President Appeared Within Hours The first fabricated synthetic picture seemingly showing him taken off a plane emerged within hours. The graphic was absent from any verified government accounts; rather, it was uploaded on X by an account purporting to be an “enthusiast of AI-generated art”. Verification involved the SynthID tool, which found the picture was produced or modified with Google AI. Additional synthetic images were disseminated in the following period, purporting to present more angles of Maduro under guard. Visible logos on the graphics show they came from an Instagram account called ultravfx. The detection tool indicates the further images were also produced using Google AI. Authentic Image Posted but Fakes Persisted Donald Trump shared the first real photo of Nicolás Maduro restrained aboard the USS Iwo Jima on Saturday morning. However, despite the authentic image was published, synthetic pictures persisted online but were updated to show the grey athletic wear worn by Maduro. Online investigation show these updated fakes were originally uploaded on the video platform by a graphic design account. Again, SynthID found these further images were generated or edited Google AI. Important Facts: Deepfakes spread rapidly after the news of Maduro's capture. The initial fabricated picture was shared within hours on platform X. Detection software like AI-watermark detectors helped to confirm the pictures as synthetic. Fabrications persisted to circulate and be updated despite the release of real photographs. The source of many fakes was linked to specific online profiles focused on AI art.