CAN YOU SPOT AI FACES? NEW TEST CHALLENGES USERS

The test measures whether people can reliably identify artificially generated faces from genuine ones. Guardian Australia reporters—a photographer and self-described internet addict—took the challenge to assess whether detection comes down to science or intuition. AI-generated faces have reached a point where they closely mimic authentic human features, including skin texture, eye reflections, and facial proportions. This advancement raises concerns about misinformation, deepfakes, and identity fraud across social media and other platforms. The UNSW test serves as both a public awareness tool and a research initiative to understand human perception limits when evaluating synthetic media. Results suggest most people perform only slightly better than chance when distinguishing real from AI-generated portraits. As generative AI technology continues to improve, developing reliable detection methods—both human and algorithmic—becomes increasingly critical for maintaining trust in digital media.