How To Verify AI Generated Images Before Sharing

Most people who share fake images don't mean to. The images that spread are the ones that make you feel something: anger, awe, worry. That's exactly when a short pause helps.

A two-minute check

1. Pause. If an image makes you want to share it immediately, that's the moment to check.
2. Find the source. Who posted it first? Is it a news outlet, an official account, a photographer, or a page you've never heard of?
3. Search for a fact-check. Search the claim plus "fact check." Viral images are often checked within hours.
4. Reverse image search. Use Google Lens or TinEye to find earlier copies and where they came from.
5. Look closely. Zoom in on hands, faces, text, signs and backgrounds.

Check labels and files

• Look for platform labels such as "AI info" on Instagram and Facebook, or a Community Note on X.
• If the image is on a website, AI Image Detector (made by Patrick Bushe, who runs this site) can read its metadata in Chrome and flag AI signals. Social media images usually have no metadata left, so a blank result doesn't confirm anything.

Red flags

• No source, or "credit to the owner."
• Only one image of a supposedly major event.
• Captions asking you to like or share.
• Accounts that post many similar images.

If you can't confirm it

• Don't share it as real.
• If you want to discuss it, say it's unverified.
• If you already shared something fake, delete it or post a correction; people trust those who correct themselves.

AI images that are fine to share

AI art, clearly labeled creative work and obvious jokes are fine. The concern is images presented as real.

See detecting AI images before you share and fake AI photos on social media.