Start with the image details
Look closely at hands, teeth, jewelry, reflections, background objects, and any visible text. AI models often make small details that look plausible for a second but fail under careful inspection.
Evidence first
How to check if content is AI-generated
The goal is not to label everything suspicious as fake. The goal is to slow down, inspect the evidence, and separate strong signals from weak assumptions.
Workflow
A simple method for deciding real or AI.
Verify the source
A photo from a known photographer, news archive, or transparent source has different credibility than an anonymous viral post.
Use tools as supporting evidence
Treat a detector score as one piece of evidence. Combine it with visual inspection, source credibility, metadata when available, and reverse image search.
Common signals
Real photos usually have consistent shadows, lens behavior, and perspective. AI images may mix multiple lighting directions or produce objects that do not line up with the scene.
AI systems often struggle with exact lettering. Watch for fake brand names, scrambled signs, distorted labels, and text that becomes unreadable when zoomed in.
Look at grass, hair, brick walls, fabric, crowds, and leaves. AI-generated textures may repeat too evenly or dissolve into abstract patterns.
Trust checklist
AI detectors can be helpful, but they are not final proof. Compression, editing, screenshots, and model updates can all reduce accuracy.
Do not rely on one clue alone. A strange finger or warped logo can also happen in real photos because of blur, compression, or unusual perspective.
Avoid making serious accusations based only on a detector result.