Artificial Intelligence in Images: The Challenge of Authenticity on Social Media
Artificial intelligence images It's one of the most critical issues for those who use social media and digital platforms today. Artificial intelligence that generates images and videos makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish what's real from what's synthetic, changing the rules of the game for users, creators, and brands.
Adam Mosseri, Instagram's head of content, published a lengthy post on Threads explaining why current AI content detection tools are becoming ineffective. According to Mosseri, tools designed to recognize AI-generated photos and videos aren't keeping pace with the rapid pace of technological advances.
For this reason, he proposes a paradigm shift: instead of labeling fake content, it would be more effective to add labels and cryptographic signatures to real images. This transformation could have enormous impacts on both user experience and detection strategies. digital marketing.
Artificial intelligence images and the limitations of current detection systems
The heart of the problem is that systems that try to identify content generated by artificial intelligence images They're no longer as reliable as they once were. Detection algorithms analyze patterns, metadata, and imperfections typical of generative models, but these clues are disappearing.
Mosseri underlines how the’authenticity is becoming "nearly reproducible." What was once a distinctive feature of photos taken by real people can now be recreated with great precision by generative AI models. This applies to both photographic images and videos.
In the past, only professional creators had access to advanced editing tools. Today, anyone with a smartphone and an AI app can produce hyper-realistic images or complex videos in minutes. The line between real and synthetic content is blurring, while the risk of misinformation and visual manipulation is growing.
According to industry analyses and reports, such as those published by World Economic Forum, Synthetic images are already used in disinformation campaigns, fraud, and online scams, directly impacting consumer trust in digital channels.
Mosseri's criticism of smartphone cameras and "too perfect" content“
In his post, Mosseri also points the finger at camera and smartphone manufacturers. According to him, many brands are pushing the marketing of cameras with "more megapixels" and features. artificial intelligence advanced, selling the illusion of being able to be professional photographers of the past simply by shooting with a smartphone.
The result is a mass of images that are technically perfect but, as Mosseri defines them, "boring to consume." Users, he says, are not only looking for technical quality: they want content that they seem to have really lived, spontaneous, imperfect.
As a result, many creators are deliberately posting photos and videos with visible imperfections: poor framing, poor lighting, and digital noise. All to signal authenticity and distance from synthetic content.
But here a paradox opens up: precisely the’artificial intelligence images It's now capable of simulating even these imperfections. Graininess, motion blur, and lens flare can be replicated with just a few clicks, making it even more difficult for the human eye to distinguish between real and artificial.
As academic studies also point out, for example those cited by’Brookings Institution, AI's ability to mimic typically human errors and flaws represents a new frontier of risk to online trust.
Why just labeling AI content isn't enough anymore
Today, all major social media platforms are working on AI-powered content labeling systems: notices under images, "AI-generated" tags, and invisible watermarks. But, as Mosseri points out, these solutions will have increasingly limited effectiveness.
THE'artificial intelligence images It improves at a rate faster than detection systems can adapt. Every time a new detection method emerges, generative models are updated to circumvent it. It's a technological game of cat and mouse.
Furthermore, so-called digital watermarks—invisible signals inserted into content to indicate its origin—can be removed with simple editing tools. This means that those interested in hiding the synthetic nature of content can do so relatively easily.
This scenario has significant implications for marketing, as it calls into question the trust in images used in campaigns, ads, and brand communications. If every photo can be suspected of being fake, companies must rethink how they build and communicate authenticity.
Mosseri's proposal: cryptographic signatures for real images
The solution proposed by Mosseri is radical: instead of focusing only on identifying fake content, we should certify real images with a sort of digital footprint. In practice, to manage the explosion of content from artificial intelligence images, the priority should become the proof of authenticity of what was actually captured from the physical world.
In concrete terms, camera and smartphone manufacturers could apply a cryptographic signature directly at the moment of capture. Each "native" image would be signed by a secure chip and associated with immutable metadata certifying the date, device, and file integrity.
This fingerprint would act as an identity card for the image. Social media platforms receiving the content could quickly verify whether the signature is valid and then label it as a "Certified Real Image.".
Similar systems are already being studied in several international consortia, such as the initiative C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity), which works on standards for the provenance and authenticity of digital content.
Mosseri's words, however, seem to be in partial contradiction with Meta's significant investments in artificial intelligence. On the one hand, the company is pushing generative AI to create new creative tools; on the other, it recognizes that it can no longer effectively block the proliferation of synthetic images and videos on its platforms.
Artificial Intelligence in Images: Impact on Marketing and Business
THE'artificial intelligence images It's not just a technological issue: it has a direct impact on marketing, communications, and digital business models. For brands, the ability to demonstrate that content is authentic can become a competitive advantage.
In a world where feeds are flooded with AI-generated images, companies that certify the real origin of their content could increase audience trust and engagement. "Real-verified" labels or transparent provenance systems can improve the perception of campaign authenticity.
From a strategic perspective, this has at least three key implications:
- Reputation and trust: Brands that are more transparent about their use of AI and real-world content will have stronger relationships with customers.
- Customer experienceCustomers expect clarity about what is real and what is not, especially in sectors such as fashion, travel, food, and real estate.
- Compliance and RiskRegulation on synthetic content and disinformation could become more stringent, requiring traceability and auditing.
For digital marketing it becomes strategic to integrate it into your own marketing automation Content origin management, media tracking, and centralized management of visual creatives. This is especially true for direct messaging channels like WhatsApp, where interaction is personal and the perception of authenticity is even more crucial.
A company that sends promotional images, visual quotes, catalogs or product demos via conversational channels must be able to easily demonstrate the reliability and provenance of the materials, especially in a world dominated by’artificial intelligence images.
How SendApp Can Help with Artificial Intelligence Images
In this scenario, a platform like SendApp can become a strategic ally for managing the use of visual content in messaging channels in a secure, trackable, and consistent way. The goal is not only to use the’artificial intelligence images, but integrate it into reliable and transparent communication processes.
With SendApp Official (official WhatsApp API), companies can centralize the sending of images and multimedia content on WhatsApp within structured flows that comply with Meta policies. This allows them to:
- manage in a controlled way which images are sent to customers;
- ensure message consistency between marketing, sales, and customer care teams;
- integrate internal rules on which real or AI-generated content can be used in campaigns.
Thanks to SendApp Agent, teams can collaborate in managing conversations, responding to customers with accurate and up-to-date content. This is essential for clarifying, when necessary, whether an image is a simulation, a rendering, or a certified real photo.
For more advanced scenarios, SendApp Cloud It allows you to integrate custom automations and workflows. Companies can, for example:
- automate the sending of real images of order confirmation, shipment tracking, and contractual documentation;
- distinguish at the process level between AI-generated content and real content uploaded by operators or internal systems;
- track which media were sent, when and to which segment of contacts.
Combining automation, official APIs and multi-agent management, SendApp helps brands build credible visual communication even in an era dominated by’artificial intelligence images. Companies can thus exploit the creative potential of AI without losing control over the perception of authenticity.
For businesses looking to implement this approach into their conversational marketing, the next step is to evaluate how to integrate SendApp into their digital strategy. You can request a dedicated WhatsApp Business consultation, test the automation features, and design workflows that combine real content, AI, and certified origin in a transparent way for the end customer.
