Is the Video You See on Social Media Real or Fake? Here’s How to Check Instantly Using Gemini

Nowadays, videos and images are spreading rapidly across the internet and social media, making it increasingly difficult to discern whether they are authentic or were created with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

Due to the growing use of Artificial Intelligence, the volume of deepfake videos and edited images is constantly increasing. Consequently, verifying the authenticity of content has become a significant challenge for average users.

Addressing this issue, Google has introduced specific content transparency tools designed to make it easier to determine whether a video or photo is genuine or AI-generated. Google's AI technology employs a specialized system known as SynthID. This technology embeds a type of digital watermark—one that is typically invisible to the naked eye—into content created by AI.

When a video or image is analyzed, this technology is capable of detecting these hidden signals embedded within the content. This capability enables the determination of whether a piece of content was created using AI or has been digitally altered.

If a user wishes to verify the authenticity of a specific video or image, they can utilize the Gemini app. To do so, the user must first upload the media file they wish to examine directly into the app.

Subsequently, the user can ask Gemini—using natural language—whether the content was created by AI or if it contains any AI-based edits. The system scans the uploaded file to check for the presence of digital markers, such as SynthID. However, there are certain technical limitations involved when analyzing videos; typically, video files uploaded for verification should not exceed approximately 100MB in size and should be no longer than about 90 seconds in duration.

Once the analysis is complete, Gemini can also indicate exactly which specific parts of the content contain signals associated with AI. For instance, it can provide information on whether an AI-generated digital watermark has been detected within the audio or visuals present at a specific point in a video.

Due to the increasing use of AI technology, identifying fake or misleading content on the internet has become more difficult than ever before. In this context, tools like Gemini can help people assess the trustworthiness of the videos or photos they encounter. In the future, such technologies could play a pivotal role in making the online world safer and more transparent.