How To Detect AI Generated Face Images

AI-generated faces range from older "this person does not exist" style images, made with GAN models such as StyleGAN, to faces from newer diffusion models that look like real snapshots. Each leaves different clues.

Clues in the face

• Eyes: reflections that differ between the two eyes, irises with odd shapes, or pupils that aren't round.
• Teeth: too many, uneven, or merging into one band.
• Ears: mismatched shapes, or earlobes that blend into hair or jaw.
• Skin: unnaturally smooth, with pores that look painted or absent.
• Symmetry: one side of glasses, earrings or a collar that doesn't match the other.

Clues around the face

• Hair: strands that dissolve into the background, or a hairline that blurs.
• Background: abstract smears, warped objects or meaningless shapes.
• Other people: background faces that are distorted.
• Accessories: hats and glasses merging with the head.

GAN faces vs newer models

GAN-made faces typically show one person, centered, with the eyes in almost exactly the same position in every image, and a blurry background. Line up several suspect profile photos and the matching eye position is a giveaway. Newer models create varied angles, lighting and settings, so that trick doesn't work on them.

Better checks than looking

1. Metadata: on an original file, AI Image Detector (made by Patrick Bushe, who runs this site) flags AI generator names and AI tags when you right-click the image in Chrome. Profile photos on social sites have usually been stripped.
2. Reverse image search: stolen photos turn up elsewhere; AI faces usually don't.
3. Context: does the person appear in other photos, videos or with friends?
4. Visual detectors: services trained on AI faces can help, though accuracy varies.

See AI profile pictures and AI celebrity photos.