How to Recognize AI-Generated Images and Strengthen Your AI Literacy

Author

Jakob Scherer

Published

February 17, 2025

The ability to recognize AI-generated images is essential to preventing disinformation and manipulation in digital campaigns. Especially in the context of political communication, generative AI is increasingly used – sometimes for creative purposes, sometimes for deliberate deception. The campAIgn Tracker provides an overview of current AI trends in political campaigns and helps citizens protect themselves against disinformation.

AI-Generated Images: Deceptively Real Yet Detectable

Modern AI can now create images that look realistic. But some clues give them away:

  • Unnatural details: Distorted facial proportions, inconsistent light sources, or missing reflections.
  • Strange textures and patterns: Repetitions or blurry spots, especially in backgrounds.
  • Problems with eyes and hands: AI struggles to generate realistic hands or symmetrical eyes.
  • Metadata analysis: Tools like Foto Forensics or Google Lens can be used to check the origin of an image.
  • Reverse image search: A reverse search can reveal whether the image has been flagged as AI-generated.

Infobox from current study on AI in election campaigns by Dr. Simon Kruschinski, Dr. Pablo Jost, Tobias Scherer, and Hannah Fecher

Digital Resilience: How Citizens Can Strengthen Their AI Literacy

To avoid manipulation, a critical approach to digital content is essential. Here are some measures that can help:

1. Train Critical Thinking

  • Question images and content, especially in political contexts.
  • Compare information with reliable news sources or fact-checking platforms.

2. Use Technical Tools

  • Specialized deepfake detectors and image analysis tools can help identify manipulated content.
  • Browser extensions and AI warning systems provide early signs of falsification.

3. Expand Media Literacy

  • Use educational resources on digital literacy, such as those provided by the campAIgn Tracker.
  • Schools and educational institutions should increasingly offer workshops on AI detection and the ethical use of AI.

4. Demand AI Labeling

  • Advocate for transparency rules that require labeling of AI-generated content.
  • Public pressure on platforms like Meta or X (formerly Twitter) can help enforce reliable AI tagging.

Conclusion

The campAIgn Tracker shows how generative AI is already being used in political campaigns today – with both positive and negative effects. Those who know how to recognize AI-generated images are better equipped to protect themselves from manipulation.

Digital resilience means combining critical thinking, technical tools, and media literacy. Stay informed and strengthen your digital skills with the campAIgn Tracker!