Viral image of astronauts and celebrities is AI-generated

An image has gone viral on social media, showing astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore alongside Elon Musk and Donald Trump. The image surfaced after the astronauts returned to Earth from the International Space Station on March 19. Despite its popularity, the image is not real. It was created using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Experts analyzed the photo and found several unusual details. The faces of Musk and Trump appeared too smooth and distorted. Additionally, Williams' suit had badges that were not present in real photos taken during her return. The person behind Williams also did not resemble Wilmore. To confirm its authenticity, researchers used AI detection tools. One tool reported a 99.2% likelihood that the image was AI-generated, while another gave a 98% chance of it being a deepfake. In conclusion, this viral image falsely claims to depict astronauts Williams and Wilmore reuniting with Musk and Trump after their space mission.