This won’t surprise you: Human beings have been looking at images for centuries. 

This might: Over 15 billion AI-generated images are now circulating the internet. 

To put that into perspective, it took photographers 150 years to collectively create 15 billion photos. It took AI less than 365 days.  

The sheer number of images produced by prompts is frightening. A study by AI experts at the International Data Center Authority (IDCA) predict 90% of online content will be generated by artificial intelligence by 2026 (yes, next year). 

Faces, landscapes, and moments, all created by algorithms at scale, for the first time in human history. 

And these aren’t clunky doodles, either. These AI-generated images are so real, it’s almost impossible to distinguish what’s real and what’s fake.. almost.

Most “how to detect AI images” guides, though? They’re stuck in 2023. Counting fingers or eyeballing warped shadows used to work, but not anymore. It’s smoother, sharper, sneakier. You need something better, dare I suggest AI, as we’ve seen the AI game shift firsthand. 

This guide will serve as your light, whether you’re browsing the internet or protecting your business processes in real time.

AI Detection Is More Complex Than You Think

You’ve been told spotting AI images is easy: Look for distorted hands, check for weird shadows… That was the old way. It worked when AI was new and sloppy. Not now.

We’ve watched AI grow up fast. 

Modern AI doesn’t trip on fingers anymore. Shadows? Fixed. Text? Clear. 

Those 90% of online images predicted to be AI by 2026? They’re not just art. They’re misinformation. Scams. 

Here’s a Framework to Detect When Images are Generated by AI

You’ve seen AI evolve quickly. Think about where AI was just 6 months ago, compared to now. 

1. Decode Contextual Red Flags (Like, “Does This Image Make Sense?”)

A perfect image can be a lie. Anonymous accounts posting flawless pics? Question them. No history, no trace? Suspicious. Follow the old adage, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Check the story too. Think: why does this image exist? A viral disaster pic from an account with no followers? It’s odd. Real images belong somewhere. They match their world. Fakes float loose.

Ask yourself. Does this fit? If it doesn’t, it’s probably AI. 

Doubting an image? AI or Not can tell you. Upload it. Get the truth. Our tool spots AI fakes fast. Test it out for yourself right now.

2. Training Your Brain for Psychological Pattern Recognition

Again, trust your human instincts. In group photos where everyone is smiling the exact same? It’s too even, too staged, it’s fake. Look at real crowds, they vary. Emotions and settings clash. AI loves order, but real life is chaos. So, that picture of a room with no clutter? It’s fake. Feel it out, you know.

3. Use AI or Not Image Detection Tools for Verification

Our tool scans it. Spots AI, and tells instantly. 

Whether it’s subtle flaws or evolving quirks, we catch what your eyes miss. 

AI edits? No problem, AI or Not catches those too.

AI is evolving quickly, we stay up to date. Because, when you start questioning reality, you need to rely on the one tool that sees through it. And if 90% of the internet will be like this, might as well have an AI detection tool, AI or Not, with 99% accuracy.

For the 1st Time in Human History: Be an Image Detective

AI images don’t simply exist, they’re starting to take over. 

15 billion and counting, to be specific. They’re not slowing down. They’re getting better at fooling you. 

But AI evolves, and you should too. 

In fact, like the posters at airports say, ‘If You See Something, Say Something.’ If you’re the first spot misinformation online, say something; or better yet, share something like an AI or Not report. Never know, might go viral not for the AI image but for the AI detection report.

FAQs About Detecting AI Images

How can you tell if an image is AI-generated?

Start with the details. AI messes up textures: skin looks plastic, fur’s too uniform. Human faces might be freakishly symmetrical, we’re not actually built that way, not even on the gram.. 

Also ask yourself: why is this image here? If it’s screaming for attention with no backstory, that’s a red flag. 

How to use AI to identify an image?

You don’t need to code to pull this off. Tools like AI or Not do the heavy lifting. Upload a pic, and it scans the pixels, dissecting patterns only AI leaves behind. It’s fast: less than two seconds, and there is coding required, unless you’re a developer, we have a detection API too.

Can you legally use AI images?

It’s murky and country specific. Spain has enacted laws against AI generated content without disclosure, China’s laws on the topic go live in the fall of 2025.

How accurate is AI image recognition?

Based on a recent test against a public real vs AI data set, AI or Not scored 98.9% accuracy.

What is the most accurate AI photo detector?

Based on recent benchmarks, AI or Not.