Are Those Fake Books on the New Air Force One AI-Generated? - Gizmodo

2026-07-03 · Source: artifical intelligence via Google News · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, short

Summary

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared a photo from the new Air Force One, a plane gifted by Qatar, sparking social media speculation about "fake books" in the background. These books displayed generic titles such as "Library," "Arts," and "Architecture." Gizmodo investigated whether the image was AI-generated by running it through Google's Gemini AI chatbot, which checks for SynthID watermarks. The analysis found no SynthID watermark, suggesting it wasn't created using Google's AI tools, though other AI generators remain a possibility. Gizmodo concluded the books are likely real, albeit fake, physical objects. The article also highlights a separate instance where Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of a golden eagle on the White House to Truth Social on June 29, which Gemini confirmed as AI-generated, and his recent interaction with an AI version of Theodore Roosevelt.

Key takeaway

For tech journalists and public relations professionals evaluating visual content, understand that AI detection tools like Google's Gemini with SynthID are not exhaustive. You should employ a multi-faceted approach to verify image authenticity, as the absence of one specific watermark does not confirm human origin. Always scrutinize unusual visual elements, like generic book titles, which can trigger public skepticism and necessitate further investigation into an image's provenance.

Key insights

Social media images require scrutiny for AI generation, even when initial checks are inconclusive.

Principles

• AI detection tools are specific to their creators' watermarks.
• Absence of one watermark does not confirm human origin.
• Generic or unusual visual elements can prompt AI suspicion.

Method

To check for Google AI image generation, use Google's Gemini AI chatbot to scan for the invisible SynthID watermark.

In practice

• Verify image authenticity using multiple AI detection tools.
• Scrutinize unusual visual details in public-facing images.
• Be aware of the limitations of single AI detection methods.

Topics

• AI Image Generation
• AI Detection
• SynthID
• Misinformation
• Public Relations
• Digital Forensics

Best for: Tech Journalist, General Interest

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by artifical intelligence via Google News.