Innate Visual Skill Fends Off AI Deepfakes Better Than Tech Know-How

A Vanderbilt-led study shows that the ability to distinguish real from AI-generated faces depends on a stable object-recognition skill, not general intelligence or AI experience. Researchers created the AI Face Test and found that people with higher object-recognition abilities consistently outperform others in spotting AI faces, with performance remaining stable over time. This cross-domain skill is linked to perceptual tasks in radiology and pathology, suggesting a broad defensive advantage against visual misinformation.