The challenge: spot the fake
AI image generators have improved at photorealism, but a viral challenge from AI researcher Henk van Ess shows they still make basic errors. He posted an image of what looks like a mundane courier office scene - a shipment box for a 50-inch TV - and asked viewers to identify why it isn't real without using a detector.
The image appears convincing at first glance. There's even motion blur on one person's hand, a detail that suggests authentic photography. But those who looked closely found a series of telltale flaws.
The measurement math doesn't add up
The most obvious error sits right on the box label. It lists the TV as 50 inches, then gives the metric equivalent as 144cm. Those aren't the same measurement. AI models can now render text, but they still stumble on unit conversions.
There's also a problem of proportion. Judging by the floor tiles and the person standing beside it, the box wouldn't be large enough to hold a 50-inch TV - and certainly not a 144cm one.
Anatomy and shadow errors
Look at the person in the image and you'll spot a third leg. Strange shadows appear under their left hand. These are classic signs of generative image models stitching together visual elements without understanding physical reality.
Perspective errors compound the problem. The floor tiling in the background doesn't line up correctly. On the box itself, the edges of the AirPlay and Home labels don't follow the same vanishing point as the cardboard they're printed on. That's either bad Photoshop or AI generation.
Print and branding details give it away
Graphic designers caught additional clues. A shipping box like this would rarely be printed with both spot colour and CMYK. The TV image on the box has no brand logo. And the FedEx logo is wrong: the 'X' should touch the 'E' to form the company's famous hidden arrow.
Henk van Ess wrote the people-research chapter of the Verification Handbook for Investigative Reporting and teaches workshops on verification and AI-assisted research. He also created the Generative Art tool Image Whisperer, designed to help identify AI images.
Why this matters for creatives
For designers, illustrators, and photographers, this exercise is a reminder that AI detection isn't just about software - it's about trained observation. Knowing how perspective, typography, brand standards, and physical proportions work gives you an edge that automated detectors may miss. The flaws in this image are the same principles you apply every day in AI for Creatives work: check the math, check the shadows, check the vector logic. If you're producing or reviewing AI imagery, these are the details clients will expect you to catch.
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