Real or AI: can a photographer and internet addict spot fake portraits? – video

2026-05-20 · Source: AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) has launched an AI faces test, challenging users to distinguish between real and artificially generated portraits. This initiative underscores the escalating difficulty in identifying AI-created faces, a growing concern as generative AI technology rapidly advances. Guardian Australia journalists Carly Earl and Matilda Boseley recently participated in the test, aiming to determine if discerning real from fake faces relies on scientific methods or subjective intuition. The exercise highlights the sophisticated realism achieved by contemporary AI models, making accurate visual verification a significant challenge for even experienced observers and raising questions about digital authenticity.

Key takeaway

For digital media professionals assessing visual content, recognize that distinguishing AI-generated faces from real ones is now a significant challenge. Your reliance on visual cues alone for authenticity verification is increasingly unreliable. Consider implementing stricter source verification protocols and educating your teams on the limitations of human perception when evaluating digital imagery to mitigate the risk of inadvertently publishing synthetic media.

Key insights

Distinguishing real from AI-generated faces is increasingly difficult due to advanced generative AI realism.

In practice

• Participate in the UNSW AI faces test.
• Assess personal ability to spot AI faces.

Topics

• AI-generated Faces
• Generative AI
• Digital Authenticity
• Image Verification
• UNSW AI Test
• Synthetic Media

Best for: Tech Journalist, General Interest

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian.