AI image generation tools, such as Google's Nano Banana Pro, have become so advanced that it is often difficult to tell the difference between real images and AI-generated ones, especially at a quick glance.

But this task is not impossible. If you pay attention to the following seven warning signs, which frequently appear in images I come across, you can often avoid confusing fake images with real ones, according to a report by PCMag, a technology news site, reviewed by Al Arabiya Business.

1- Does the image contain a watermark?

This may seem obvious, but it is not always as clear as some think. It's easy to overlook a watermark when glancing at an image quickly, and many people are unfamiliar with the watermarks specific to AI companies or services.

Therefore, it is always advisable to examine the corners of the image for any watermark and search for any unfamiliar mark.

Watermarks can be easily removed from images, but some AI-generated images have additional indicators. For example, Google uses SynthID to add an invisible-like watermark to images created by Gemini.

Even if no mark appears on the image, you can upload it to Gemini and ask to check for SynthID. However, not finding this mark does not necessarily mean the image is not AI-generated; it may have come from another tool.

2- Is there a clear source for the image?

If a still from a movie, for instance, goes viral, you can easily check if it is AI-generated by searching for it on Google Images.

If it is a real movie still, it is likely to be found on sites or pages discussing that movie. If all results discuss the image itself as having fooled people, it is likely fake.

In general, reverse image searching can often provide enough information to judge an image. Admittedly, it doesn't always work, especially if the image is not widely circulated or comes from a random social media account, but knowing the source—or lack thereof—remains an important factor in assessing its authenticity.

3- Does the text inside the image look distorted?

AI image generation tools still struggle to create text, often producing blurry, distorted, or unintelligible words.

If an image contains a large amount of text, especially small text scattered throughout the image, it is likely not AI-generated because most image generation models cannot accurately produce that.

However, you cannot rely on this sign alone, as some models are getting better at this task. For example, Nano Banana Pro in Gemini can generate clear, readable text in seconds and at no cost.

But even this model is not perfect; it still struggles to create large amounts of realistic text within a single image, such as pages of an open book. Therefore, it is advisable to scrutinize every text part within the image.

4- Does something look unnatural?

Fake images look a bit unnatural; sometimes they appear too clean or smooth, and other times they have a generic, blurry background lacking detail.

Undoubtedly, detecting these inconsistencies requires some practice, but with close inspection, they can be noticed consistently.

For example, two images were created using Nano Banana Pro: an image of an owl in Picasso style, and a candid image of Mark Zuckerberg. Comparing them to existing images in the test, you can notice that the owl image looks too perfect in some parts and random in others, while the Zuckerberg image has a blurry, generic background—a common feature of AI-generated images—and something seems unnatural about it.

5- Does the context make sense?

Start by looking at the source of the image and who posted it.

For instance, if you come across an interesting image on Reddit, and when visiting the poster's account you find they are active in many AI-related communities, that could be a strong indicator the image is fake, even if they didn't post it in one of those communities.

The context within the image is equally important. The image may look realistic, but does what it shows make sense?

For example, an AI-generated living room image might have an illogical interior design that no one would actually choose, or an image of a kitchen might show two sinks instead of one.

The same applies if the image shows a known personality, an ordinary person, or even someone you know doing something unusual or illogical. If the content of the image seems illogical, it is likely not real.

6- Is the image low resolution and compressed?

The image's own specifications can reveal its nature. AI-generated images are often compressed and of relatively low resolution.

For example, if you have a RAW file, it is unlikely to be AI-generated. If the image is a JPEG at 720p and looks suspicious, that matches the nature of images produced by AI tools.

You can think of it as a gradual scale: the lower the compression and the higher the resolution, the less likely the image is AI-generated.

AI companies try to minimize storage space on their servers as much as possible, but this rule is not absolute, as the latest image generators, such as Nano Banana Pro, are now capable of producing 4K images.

7- Does the image fail an AI-generated image detection test?

There are many websites that claim to be able to analyze images and determine whether they are AI-generated.

The accuracy of the results varies depending on the service used and the image being tested, but these tools can be useful.

Often these services present a percentage probability that the image is AI-generated, giving the user an idea of the confidence level of the analysis result.

However, these sites can sometimes be wrong, so you should not rely on them completely or treat their results as definitive.

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