How to spot deepfake images

UC professor gives tips to WVXU on identifying AI-generated content

As images created by artificial intelligence become more widespread and harder to differentiate from real photos and videos, it’s important for people to be aware of them, a University of Cincinnati professor told WVXU.

Jeffrey Shaffer headshot

Jeffrey Shaffer

Jeffrey Shaffer, the Joseph S. Stern Professor of Practice and assistant professor-educator in UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, has given presentations on AI and will teach a class about it in the fall.

“We have to teach not only how to use AI tools, but what these tools are good at, what the cautionary tales are, what we have to be careful of, because these tools do make mistakes and it can be really bad mistakes,” he said.

AI-generated images include deepfakes, hyper-realistic, digitally manipulated works such as face swaps, audio manipulation, facial reenactments and lip-synching.

To spot deepfakes, Shaffer’s tips include maintaining a basic understanding of AI, being skeptical and using tools that can help spot the fake content.

See more from WVXU about deepfakes and how to identify them.

Featured image at top: Computer chip. Photo/BoliviaInteligente via Unsplash

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