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AI or not?

Figuring out what’s authentic in the age of AI.

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Learning objectives

Define artificial intelligence and generative AI.

Explain how to determine if an image is AI-generated or an authentic photo.

Reflect on how AI tools have changed the nature of visual evidence for online claims.

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What do you know about AI?

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Educator instructions:

Have students fill out the Know section with facts and details about AI that they consider to be confirmed. The Heard box should be filled with details students have heard from others — including rumors or speculation — but about which they are uncertain. (Optional: Distribute two copies of the K-H-W-L charts to each student so that they can more easily revise at the end of the activity.)
Hold a class discussion for students to share what they put in their K and H sections. If you hear responses that are highly questionable or false, ask students to dig deeper: How do they know that the items they placed under K are accurate and confirmed? Where did they hear the details that they placed under H? Are they more inclined to believe or question things they hear, depending on the source? Why or why not?

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What do you want to know?

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Artificial intelligence

Technology that aims to replicate the way the human mind works to perform a wide variety of tasks, including analyses and comparisons that go beyond what people’s minds can do.

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Generative AI

Layers of powerful algorithms that learn patterns in data and then use this understanding to create new content. These tools are capable of producing text and synthetic images, video and audio.

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Essential questions

How can you tell if something is AI-generated or authentic?

How have AI tools changed the ways you evaluate visual evidence for online claims?

What problems can arise when people mistake AI content as authentic? What about when they dismiss authentic visuals as AI-generated?

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Can you figure out which visuals are real photos and which are AI-generated?

*Click to open the quiz in a new tab, then return here and advance to the next slide to continue.

AI or not?

Am I an owl? �Or just some computer-

generated pixels?

Take the quiz*

Bird quiz

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How did you do?

Was it harder or easier than you expected?

Were there any visual clues that helped you separate the real photos from the AI fakes?

Did it feel like you were just guessing?

Real

AI

Real

AI

Real

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Watch the video

Can you determine whether an image is real or AI-generated just by looking for visual clues?

What tips did two of the experts offer near the end of the video?

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Essential questions

How can you tell if something is AI-generated or authentic?

How have AI tools changed the ways you evaluate visual evidence for online claims?

What problems can arise when people mistake AI content as authentic? What about when they dismiss authentic visuals as AI-generated?

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List 1-2 things you’ve learned so far.

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Predict! What words are missing in this key takeaway?

Generative AI signals a change �in the nature of ________.

The rise of more convincing fake images and videos means that finding the ______ and _______ for visuals is often more important than hunting for ______ ______ of authenticity. Any viral image you can’t _____ through a reliable source — using a reverse image search, for example — should be approached with __________.

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Generative AI signals a change �in the nature of evidence.

The rise of more convincing fake photos and videos means that finding the source and context for visuals is often more important than hunting for visual clues of authenticity. Any viral image you can’t verify through a reliable source — using a reverse image search, for example — should be approached with skepticism.

Key takeaway

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Your turn!

Generative AI signals a change in the nature of evidence.

How can you explain what �this takeaway means? (Pick one)

Illustrate it in a short comic strip.
Make a meme.
Turn it into a song verse.

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AI image tip

AI image generators sometimes struggle with fine details.

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AI image tip

AI image generators can also be bad at backgrounds and text.

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AI image tip

AI image generators have often struggled at rendering fingers and hands – though they are rapidly improving.

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AI image tip

AI images can have a strange visual texture and look filtered or abnormally smooth.

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While these visual signals are still sometimes useful, you can’t rely on them.

But wait!

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Assessing authenticity

Does it look realistic?

What is the source?
What kind of account shared this? Does it have a track record of credibility?
Where and when was the supposed photo taken? (A reverse image search can help.)
Does the image provoke a strong emotion? Personal biases can impact whether you perceive an image as real or fake.

Less reliable

More reliable

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Essential questions

How can you tell if something is AI-generated or authentic?

How have AI tools changed the ways you evaluate visual evidence for online claims?

What problems can arise when people mistake AI content as authentic? What about when they dismiss authentic visuals as AI-generated?

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List 1-2 things you’ve learned so far.

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Mistaking fake for real…

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…and real for fake.

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Essential questions

How can you tell if something is AI-generated or authentic?

How have AI tools changed the ways you evaluate visual evidence for online claims?

What problems can arise when people mistake AI content as authentic? What about when they dismiss authentic visuals as AI-generated?

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List 1-2 things you’ve learned so far.

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Don’t let AI technology undermine �your willingness to trust �anything you see and hear.�

Knowing AI images, video and audio are out there might make you feel like nothing can be trusted. But that’s not true. Just be careful about what you accept as authentic.

Key takeaway

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Reflect: Exit ticket

AI or not?

In 20 words or less, summarize the impact of generative AI on the information landscape.

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Go deeper

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newslit.org

Follow us at @NewsLitProject

Thank you!

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