AI-generated content is everywhere. From social media feeds to news articles, distinguishing between real and AI-created videos and images has become one of the most critical digital literacy skills of 2025.

Whether you’re a parent wanting to teach your children media literacy or simply someone who wants to navigate the internet more safely, this guide will give you practical techniques to spot AI-generated content before it misleads you.

Why Spotting AI Content Matters

AI tools like DALL-E, Midjourney, and Sora have made it incredibly easy to create realistic images and videos in seconds. While this technology has amazing creative potential, it also opens the door to misinformation, deepfakes, and digital manipulation.

Teaching children and young people to identify AI content isn’t just about avoiding fake news. It’s about building critical thinking skills that will serve them throughout their lives in an increasingly digital world.

How to Spot AI-Generated Images

1. Check the Hands and Fingers

This is still the number one giveaway in 2025. AI struggles with hands, often creating:

• Extra or missing fingers
• Fingers that bend in unnatural ways
• Hands that blur or merge together
• Inconsistent hand sizes or proportions

Pro tip: If you see someone with their hands behind their back or conveniently out of frame, the creator might be hiding AI mistakes.

2. Examine Lighting and Shadows

AI-generated images often have inconsistent lighting that doesn’t match the scene. Look for:

• Shadows pointing in different directions
• Objects lit from multiple conflicting light sources
• Faces that are too bright or too dark compared to their surroundings
• Missing shadows where they should naturally appear

3. Look for “Spongy” or Blurred Areas

AI image generators sometimes create soft, undefined areas where details should be sharp. Check:

• Background objects that look melted or fuzzy
• Text that’s gibberish or unreadable
• Edges of objects that blend unnaturally into backgrounds
• Patterns or textures that don’t quite make sense

4. Inspect Small Details and Text

AI often fails at:

• Readable text on signs, books, or screens
• Brand logos that look almost right but aren’t
• Reflections in mirrors, windows, or glasses
• Symmetrical objects like earrings or buttons

5. Trust Your Gut on Faces

While AI has improved dramatically, faces can still reveal tells:

• Eyes that don’t quite focus in the same direction
• Teeth that look too perfect or strangely shaped
• Skin texture that’s too smooth or waxy
• Hair that looks painted on rather than natural

How to Spot AI-Generated Videos

1. Watch for Unnatural Movement

AI video tools struggle with realistic physics. Look for:

• Objects that float or move in ways that defy gravity
• Clothing that doesn’t move naturally with the body
• Hair that stays too still or moves strangely
• Water, smoke, or fire that doesn’t behave realistically

2. Listen to the Voice Carefully

AI voice cloning has improved, but you can still catch it:

• Slight robotic or monotone quality
• Breathing patterns that sound off
• Emotional tone that doesn’t match facial expressions
• Odd pauses or unnatural speech rhythm

3. Check for Flickering or Morphing

AI videos sometimes show brief flickers or glitches between frames, background shifts or morph, objects that appear or disappear, faces that subtly change shape.

4. Examine the Context

Don’t just watch the video. Investigate:

• Who posted it and what’s their history?
• Does the account post other similar content?
• Is this the original source or a repost?
• Does the claim match other verified sources?

5. Look at Camera Movement

AI generated videos often have:

• Perfectly smooth camera movement (too smooth)
• Static cameras that never shake or adjust
• Zooms that feel artificial
• Angles that would be impossible to film in real life

Tools That can Help

While human observation is your best defense, several tools can assist:

• OpenAI’s Deepfake Detector: Identifies AI-generated images with high accuracy
• Sensity AI: Detects deepfakes in videos, images, and audio with 98% accuracy
• Reality Defender: Real-time deepfake detection for communication channels
• Reverse Image Search: Use Google Images to find the original source

Important note: Detection tools are helpful but not foolproof. They can miss new AI techniques and sometimes give false positives. Always combine tool results with your own critical analysis.

Teaching Children to Spot AI Content

As educators and parents, we have a responsibility to equip young people with these skills:

1. Practice together: Show them examples of real and AI content and discuss the differences
2. Encourage questions: Teach them to ask “Is this real?” before sharing or believing
3. Make it a game: Turn detection into a fun challenge rather than a scary warning
4. Explain the why: Help them understand why people create fake content
5. Model good behaviour: Show them how you verify information before trusting it

Prepare Your Children for the AI Future

At Web3sy, we believe that understanding AI isn’t just about spotting fakes. It’s about empowering the next generation to use technology responsibly and creatively.
Our hands-on AI Explorers program teaches children aged 8-15 how AI actually works, from building chatbots to understanding machine learning. When children understand how AI is created, they’re better equipped to identify when it’s being used to deceive.
Ready to give your child the digital literacy skills they need?
Explore our AI Explorers program and other emerging tech courses designed for young learners. Small group sizes, expert tutors, and project-based learning that makes complex technology accessible and exciting.

Discover Web3sy’s AI Explorers Track: https://web3sy.com