AI-generated images of Giant skulls are being falsely shared as real. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 15, 2024
A series (here, here, here) of images is making rounds on social media, claiming to show giant skulls and skeletons recently unearthed by archaeologists. This article aims to fact-check this claim.
Claim: Photos showing giant skulls unearthed by archaeologists.
Fact: The individuals in the viral photos display several deformities, a common characteristic in AI-generated images. Upon examination with an AI detection tool called ‘AI Classifier by Hive’, these images were identified as mostly AI-generated. There’s no supporting evidence in the form of news reports or research papers to lend credibility to the stories associated with the viral photos. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
A detailed narrative associated with one of these viral images states that researchers from the University of Exeter and the Ethiopian Authority for Research and Conservation of the Cultural Heritage discovered a long-forgotten metropolis in the Harlan area of Eastern Ethiopia, known as the ancient ‘City of Giants’ established in the 10th century BC.
A quick Google search revealed that such a discovery was made in 2017 (here, here, and here). However, the detailed narrative associated with this viral post either excludes or incorrectly mentions several aspects of this discovery.
According to a BBC news report, a forgotten city dating as far back as the 10th century AD was uncovered in Eastern Ethiopia. However, while a local myth suggested giants once inhabited the region, this claim was debunked by the researchers. None of the news reports on this discovery featured images of oversized giant skulls.
As for the other two viral images (here and here), each associated with their speculative stories, none present credible scientific evidence. Notably, the creators of these stories acknowledge the speculative nature of their claims, offering no credible scientific evidence to support them. None of these images or stories about the giant skulls unearthed by archaeologists have credible evidence in the form of news reports or scientific research papers.
The three viral images displaying unnaturally enormous skulls feature several human deformities, a common feature in AI-generated imagery.
A suspicion that these images might have been artificially created led to their examination through the AI content detection tool ‘AI Classifier by Hive’. The results suggested that these images are highly likely to have been AI-generated.
While AI detection tools are not always completely accurate, the lack of any credible scientific evidence of such a discovery made by archaeologists recently, coupled with the absence of mainstream media coverage, strongly suggests that the viral photos were likely created using artificial intelligence or other digital art tools.
In the past, too, when such similar photos of the so-called giant skulls went viral on social media, factly debunked them. You can see the articles published by us here and here.
To sum up, the viral photos of giant skulls allegedly unearthed by archaeologists are most likely digitally created or AI-generated images with no authentic scientific backing.