Complete Guide to Identifying AI Artwork Online

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Learn to spot the subtle differences in colors, lines, and shading

Reviewed by Rumi Robinson

Last Updated: February 6, 2026

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• Identifying Through the Platform
|
• Identifying Through the Image Itself
|
• Video
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• Q&A

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In the modern era, artificial intelligence (AI) has become widespread. Ever tried looking for an image, only to be flooded with AI-generated images? Even worse, sometimes it can be difficult to tell which images are AI and which are not. Luckily, there are a few tricks to figuring out what images are generated, and which are drawn.

Tips for Identifying AI Art

1. Check the caption for hashtags or keywords referencing AI art or AI software.
2. Look at the username and bio of the person who posted it for mentions of AI art.
3. Examine the artwork for misshapen features or anatomically incorrect body parts.
4. Look at clothing and see if they blend too well or abruptly start and stop.
5. Observe if the lighting is coming different directions.
6. Look at brush strokes to see if they blend together unnaturally.
7. Check for lines that blend in with colors.
8. Perform a reverse-image search.

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Identifying Through the Platform

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1. 
   1
   Consider the platform. Some websites are used only for AI. If an image is posted on an AI site, it can be determined to be an AI image. With social media such as Instagram or Tumblr, it can be a little more difficult.
2. 
   2
   Check the captions. Most social media will allow images to have a caption that describes the image. If the caption mentions the artwork being AI, or being created with a common AI software, then it can be determined to be an AI image
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3. 
   3
   Look at the user. Some users will only post AI images. They will often have that in their username or user description.
4. 
   4
   Analyze the tags for keywords. On most social media, pictures are categorized using hashtags. These often describe the image. There are certain keywords, such as “ai-art” or “stable-diffusion”, then it can be determined to be an AI image.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Identifying Through the Image Itself

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1. 
   1
   Check the features. Often, AI fails to draw features such as the eyes properly. The pupils may be misshapen or may bleed out of the eye itself. There may be too many fingers or not enough. However, some of these mistakes might also be made by beginner artists. Combine with later steps.
2. 
   2
   Look at the details of the clothing. Is there a clear start and stop to the clothes? Do certain elements of the outfits blend into each other? Most artists will not make this mistake. Clothing made by AI does not take into account the practicality of certain outfits.
3. 
   3
   Look at lighting. Is there a clear direction the light is coming from? Does the lighting of certain parts of the image differ from the rest of the image? It could be AI. However, sometimes this might be a stylistic choice.
4. 
   4
   Look at the shading. Do the brush strokes bleed into each other in a way that is unnatural? AI mimics the final product of an artwork, but does not understand its construction. Actual artworks will look layered in a way. An AI cannot put different layers of color onto a piece. This results in a piece that seems somewhat blended— there are no fully crisp lines. A single stroke shouldn’t have a gradient to it— that isn’t possible to do.
5. 
   5
   Look at the lines. Is this a piece with sharp outlines? AI often blends the outline of a piece with the colors in certain spots. It may also make non-sense lines that connect to nothing and do not add to the piece itself. Zoom in to the lines. If they are crisp, they are not likely to be AI.
6. 
   6
   Perform an image search on the picture you're suspicious of. As the fact-checking website Snopes says, if the search doesn't return any results despite being newsworthy, that's a sign it could be an AI image .
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  What if the AI art is too perfect, almost hard to distinguish?

  

  Preppy_girl_9428

  Community Answer

  There might be special websites that can scan pictures to define if they're AI or not.

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  Not Helpful 6 Helpful 16
• Question

  What recourse do visual artists have when they are falsely and publicly accused of using AI art?

  

  Robert Thomas

  Community Answer

  False accusations of using AI can be damaging to artists, particularly when made publicly. However, you can use data science principles and digital evidence to defend yourself against such claims.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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  Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2

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