AI images, videos, and writings were once relatively easy to spot. There were too many fingers, distorted backgrounds, strange and nonsensical text, and other visual artifacts that very quickly betrayed the AI gameplay. Deepfake videos often had delayed lip sync and the AI-generated writing seemed repetitive and formulaic, like reading a clunky LinkedIn post.
But the AI has improved. Many AI-generated images, videos, and messages now appear convincing enough to fool even the most careful observers and experts. Which means that some of the old tricks for spotting what’s AI and what’s not don’t work as reliably as they used to.
So it’s not about spotting signs and problems. It’s about taking extra steps to verify what you see and hear. We can no longer rely on zooming in to see six fingers in a weird ad. We need to know what questions to ask and what tools to use when something goes wrong.
Facebook fact-checking pages
AI-generated content is everywhere on Facebook, especially photos and videos designed to trigger a strong emotional response.
In May, a Full Fact investigation examined pages sharing AI-generated stories about British politicians and found that many were run from outside the UK, despite using British-sounding names. The posts featured heartwarming stories of politicians donating millions, saving dogs or helping sick children. None of this was true.
A useful tool in situations like this is Facebook’s Page Transparency feature. Found in a page’s profile, it can reveal where a page is run from, when it was created, whether it has changed its name in the past and other clues about who is really behind it. If these details don’t match the image the page is trying to project, that’s often a good reason to be skeptical.
Spotting scams on LinkedIn
Job scams are nothing new, but AI is making them harder to spot. Fraudsters can now generate realistic recruiting messages, professional-looking profiles, and convincing emails at scale.
Some recent campaigns have even mimicked LinkedIn’s notifications and job alerts, using urgency and curiosity to pressure people into clicking on malicious links or sharing sensitive information.
Before responding to an unexpected job offer, do some basic checks. Is the recruiter connected to a real company? Does their profile look legitimate? Does the company exist on Companies House? Taking a few minutes to check out the opportunity could save you a lot of trouble later.
Checking viral videos
Deepfake videos are becoming strangely realistic. At normal speed, an AI-generated video can now look completely authentic. But you can try increasing the reading speed, which makes it easier to spot subtle inconsistencies. Watch for lip movements that don’t quite match the speech, unnatural blinks, strange rhythms, or facial movements that seem slightly out of sync with the sound you’re hearing.
It is also worth paying attention to facial expressions. Of course, no one reacts perfectly at all times, but if a person’s expressions constantly seem disconnected from what they are saying, it may be worth investigating further.
AI Influencer Survey
Sometimes the answer is hiding in plain sight. You just have to know where to look. AI influencers, AI-assisted fashion shoots, and AI-generated ad campaigns are often disclosed by brands and creators, but the information can be difficult to find in a caption, hashtag, profile description, or fine print. For example, publisher and lifestyle brand SheerLuxe creates AI- and influencer-generated content under the name Sheerluxe lab.
You can also try a reverse image search. Uploading an image to Google Images can sometimes show you where it first appeared online, whether it has been edited, and whether the person in the image actually exists elsewhere on the Internet. If an influencer only appears in AI-generated content and nowhere else, that’s a pretty big sign that they might be completely made up.
Take the AI quiz or not
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