Pope Francis in a white puffer jacket: real or AI?

As shared

Pope Francis walking outdoors in a long white quilted puffer coat, with a crucifix on a chain around his neck.

AI image made with Midjourney by Pablo Xavier (2023), via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain in the US (AI-generated) · Source

AI-MADE

A machine made this.

How sure we areVery high

Based on 2 strong and 0 supporting pieces of evidence.

What we found

This picture was made with the AI image tool Midjourney on 24 March 2023 by Pablo Xavier, a construction worker from the Chicago area. He posted it in a Facebook group and on Reddit, and it spread across social media that weekend, where many people took it for a real photograph. He told BuzzFeed News he simply thought it would be funny to see the Pope in a puffer jacket. It became one of the first AI images to fool a mass audience.

Key facts

Original source: AI image made with Midjourney by Pablo Xavier (2023), via Wikimedia Commons
First published: Not recorded
Earlier appearances: Not recorded
The claim you saw: No caption recorded
Signs of AI: Yes. Shown below, but not what decided it

The evidence, strongest first

Strong Decides the answer

The maker says soBuzzFeed News interview with the person who made it, 27 March 2023↗Original sourceThe original post in Reddit's r/midjourney↗

Supporting Points the same way

None.

Weak Shown, not relied on

How it looksLook at his right hand: the fingers blur into whatever he is holding. The crucifix hangs from a chain that only exists on one side, and the edge of his glasses melts into the shadow on his cheek. The whole picture also has the smooth, glossy finish that Midjourney produced in early 2023.

Detector scores are often wrong, so they never decide a verdict here.

What we couldn’t establish

Exactly how it was made, and with which prompts, beyond what the sources above say. If you know more, tell us.

Bottom line

Made by AI: the maker says so.

See the original ↗Think we’re wrong?

Was this explanation useful? ·

33% of players were fooled

How to check something like this yourself

Search for the picture itself. Put it into Google Lens or TinEye and look for the oldest and sharpest copy.
Find who posted it first. See what they said about it and what else they post. Makers of AI pictures often say so, and that label is lost when the picture is copied.
Look for a fact-check. Search the main claim with the words “fact check”. Anything widely shared has usually been looked at.
Then look closely. Zoom in on hands, writing, edges and the background.

Full guide: How to reverse-search a picture.

Pope Francis in a white puffer jacket: real or AI?

A machine made this.

Strong Decides the answer

Supporting Points the same way

Weak Shown, not relied on

How to check something like this yourself

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