Computer-Generated Photo Investigations

The rapid advances in computer AI and machine learning are both exciting and concerning, as the use cases for the technology (as with anything) are both good and bad. This article discusses AI-generated images and detection techniques.

The first set of questions is about why and how AI images can be used for malicious purposes. Lately, I have seen AI-generated photos in dating profiles, false ‘news’ stories, and AI to turn regular photos into nude photos, which in turn may potentially be used in a sextortion scenario.

The software, Drag Your Gan, is an excellent example of computer manipulation of photos. In the examples on their site, we can see various photos being altered by choosing a start and end point. A lion with a closed mouth looking forward has been changed to one with an open mouth and head turned, a short mountain has been turned into a very tall one, and a car has been pointed in a different direction.

By manipulating the original image, the context of that photo can change drastically.