Snopes finds OpenAI watermark in fake image of Paris burning
The viral Eiffel Tower scene circulated against the backdrop of real French unrest
A viral aerial image purporting to show Paris engulfed in flames around the Eiffel Tower was generated with artificial intelligence, Snopes concluded after finding a digital watermark and several visual irregularities.
The image, which circulated on X and Instagram, showed a red sky, fires and smoke surrounding the landmark. A reverse-image search led to accounts identifying pilot Lionel Saal as its original poster; he posted it on Instagram and Threads on Oct. 18, claiming it had been taken the previous day.
The fact-check found that OpenAI’s Verify tool returned the result: “We found a SynthID watermark that originated from OpenAI.” It also cited an unnaturally straight cloud line, smoke plumes all moving in the same direction, and the absence of discernible streets or roads despite the apparent lights and traffic of a nighttime cityscape.
The watermark result indicates that the file likely originated with OpenAI tools, according to OpenAI. Its verification service searches uploads for provenance signals including C2PA metadata and SynthID watermarks, and is designed to identify material generated through ChatGPT, the OpenAI API or Codex. OpenAI cautions that a signal cannot establish how an image was subsequently modified, used or presented, or whether its apparent claim is accurate.
The fabricated view circulated amid real unrest. Authentic news photographs showed street fires, including near the Eiffel Tower, and police used tear gas around the landmark. Between 550,000 and 800,000 people demonstrated across France on Oct. 17 over the rising cost of living and in support of high school students, while serious violence occurred in several cities, according to Le Monde.
French President Emmanuel Macron said AI-generated images had depicted scenes that “never took place in France” and that foreign manipulation had prompted “stupid” comments from some leaders. Authorities imposed nighttime curfews in some areas after the unrest and planned a reinforced security operation for the following Saturday’s demonstrations.
The finding came days after we reported that other AI-generated images had been circulated as scenes from the French unrest, alongside genuine footage of demonstrations and violence.