Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
A rare photo showing a young Ratan Tata on a bicycle.
Fact
Image found to be AI generated.
Veteran industrialist and Tata Group’s chairman emeritus, Ratan Tata passed away at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on October 9, at the age of 86. As the news of his demise broke, several people, including prominent personalities, took to social media to offer condolences.
Multiple such users also shared a photo purportedly showing a young Ratan Tata on a bicycle, while remembering the life of the ‘titan’ of the Indian industry. Newschecker, however, found the “rare” photo to be AI generated.
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
News outlets such as News18 Hindi, and IndiaTimes also featured the photograph in their articles about Ratan Tata. The image is also used by multiple YouTube channels in compilation videos paying tribute to Ratan Tata.
Also Read: Scripted Video Showing Burqa-Clad Woman Offering Prayers At Durga Puja Pandal Shared As Real
Fact Check/Verification
We skimmed through Ratan Tata’s official Instagram profile, which featured multiple photos from his youth, such as this, this and this. However, we could not find the viral video purportedly showing him on a bicycle.
On carefully analysing the viral photograph, we found it to have too smooth/soft texture for an actual old image. Additionally, the faces of the subjects in the background are distorted, and some of their body parts are not clearly defined. For instance, the legs of one man in the background are disfigured. The face of a woman, in the right corner of the image, is deformed too, raising our doubts about the authenticity of the photo.
Also Read: Viral Photo Claiming To Show Yogi Flower In Turkey Is Actually AI Generated
We then ran past the image of multiple AI detection tools, which indicated a high possibility of it being a work of artificial intelligence. Hive Moderation calculated 97% likelihood that the image contains AI-generated or deepfake content. Sightengine detected a 99% probability of the photo being an AI product. Website ‘Is It AI?’ found it to be “highly likely” (79%) generated by AI. Another website, ‘AI or Not’ also found the image to be “likely AI generated.”
Also Read: Old, Unrelated Videos Falsely Shared As Hurricane Milton
Conclusion
Hence, the viral “rare” photo showing Ratan Tata on cycle is actually AI generated, and does not show an actual scene from the industrialist’s life.
Result: Altered Photo
Sources
Instagram Account Of @ratantata
Hive Moderation Website
Sightengine Website
Is It AI? Website
AI or Not Website
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
