AI experts have analyzed a photo from Kamala Harris’ 2024 election rally in Michigan, responding to claims by Donald Trump that the image was heavily doctored using AI technology. The former president raised doubts about the authenticity of the picture, pointing to the lack of crowd reflection on the plane’s turbine as evidence of manipulation.
However, tech experts consulted by DailyMail.com concluded that while there were signs of editing in the image, the manipulation was likely done using basic filters rather than advanced AI techniques. Through software analysis, they determined a minimal four percent chance of AI manipulation.
Professor Hany Farid from the University of California explained that the photo showed indications of simple brightness/contrast adjustments and possibly sharpening, rather than sophisticated AI alteration. He highlighted the optical illusion created by the curved reflection of the plane’s surface, where distant objects appear less visible compared to those closer to the surface.
Similarly, John Renaud, the founder of AI image verification tool Winston AI, confirmed that the image was predominantly human-generated, with a 96 percent likelihood. He acknowledged potential editing in the photo that could contribute to perceived discrepancies in the image.
Despite claims by Trump and some online commentators about the lack of crowd reflection and distorted hands in the image, experts clarified that these anomalies were likely due to the distance of the audience from the reflecting surface and limitations of AI in rendering realistic hands. The experts emphasized that the photo did not exhibit substantial AI manipulation as alleged by critics.
While doubts and controversies surround the authenticity of the rally photo, experts suggest that the editing was within the realm of conventional image enhancements rather than AI-generated alterations. The analysis underscores the importance of considering various perspectives and technical insights when evaluating digitally altered images in the public sphere.
