Detecting AI-Generated Images

Filename hints (mj_, sdxl_, dalle_), embedded C2PA manifests, unusual dimensions (1024×1024, 1536×1536), and known vendor strings in the file bytes all push the needle. None of them alone is proof.

Garbled text, extra fingers, asymmetric jewelry, and impossible reflections remain common giveaways in 2026, though top-tier models clean these up most of the time.

Classifier models that judge 'AI vs real' are easily fooled by light editing, compression, and out-of-distribution photos. Use them as one signal among many, never as the final word.

AI Watermark Checker gives you the metadata layer in seconds. For high-stakes decisions, combine it with a reverse image search, a model-based detector, and a careful human look at the image itself.