Brief
AI‑generated image of alleged Paris robbery debunked
Google's SynthID tool and specialist software identified AI watermarks in the widely shared image of an elderly couple supposedly robbed during French riots.
By Felo News Desk · Published
A picture circulating on X that claimed to show an 80‑year‑old couple stripped and robbed by rioters in Paris' Place de la République has been identified as AI‑generated, according to the Daily Mail.
What happened
The image was posted on Sunday and quickly amassed more than a million views. It depicted two elderly people in underwear surrounded by men in black, with several visual anomalies – duplicated legs, a missing finger on the woman's hand, and merged faces in the background.
What the reports add
Google's SynthID Detector flagged an invisible watermark, known as "SynthID," that marks images produced or edited by generative AI. The original post claimed the picture was created with Google Gemini, while a clearer variant was linked to OpenAI technology. The Daily Mail notes that both OpenAI and Anthropic have joined Google's service that embeds such watermarks.
What was said
The article quotes the Daily Mail's own analysis, stating, "The biggest AI firms in the world, including OpenAI and Anthropic, have signed up to the Google service that allows users to understand whether what they are seeing has been generated by AI." It also references French media reports that an 80‑year‑old couple had been robbed at Place de la République, but notes that Paris police have not confirmed the incident.
How it came about
The image emerged amid widespread unrest in France, with hundreds of thousands protesting high living costs and rioting that targeted luxury stores and public buildings. Earlier coverage by Felo News documented the riots, including looting of Dior boutiques and a fire at Limoges town hall. The viral picture was shared by police unions as evidence of the chaos, but the AI detection findings undermine its credibility.
Key facts
- The viral image of an elderly couple being robbed in Paris was flagged by Google's SynthID Detector as AI‑generated. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Visual errors in the picture include duplicated legs, a missing finger, and merged faces. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Both Google Gemini and OpenAI technologies were cited as the source of the AI‑generated variants. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Paris police have not confirmed the alleged robbery of the couple at Place de la République. (dailymail.co.uk)
- The image was shared on X and viewed over a million times before the AI analysis was reported. (dailymail.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] dailymail.co.uk — originally reported as “Viral pic of elderly couple stripped by French rioters 'made with AI'”
