Step 1 — Read the file’s labels
Many AI tools now write a label into the files they create. We look for:
- Content Credentials (C2PA) — a signed record used by OpenAI (ChatGPT, Sora), Adobe Firefly, Microsoft, Google, Meta, TikTok and camera makers like Leica, Sony and Nikon.
- IPTC digital source type — the standard “trainedAlgorithmicMedia” tag (AI-generated) and “compositeWithTrainedAlgorithmicMedia” (AI-edited).
- Generator settings — Stable Diffusion, ComfyUI, NovelAI, InvokeAI and Midjourney often leave the prompt and settings in the file.
- AIGC labels used by many Chinese AI apps.
- Camera data — make, model, exposure, aperture and ISO from real cameras.
If an AI label is found, the result is marked confirmed. If a real camera signed the photo, it is confirmed real.
Step 2 — Check the pixels (or words) with several AI detectors
Labels are easy to remove (a screenshot does it), so we also run open-source detection models from the Hugging Face community. For images, two detectors run first; if they disagree or are unsure, a third breaks the tie. Their opinions are combined using a weighted average in log-odds — a standard way of merging probabilities that stops one over-confident model from dominating.
For videos, your browser extracts three frames and each is checked; the frame scores are combined so one clearly-AI frame counts for more than a blurry one. For text, we split long pieces into sections, score each, and highlight them.
Step 3 — Combine everything into one honest answer
Smaller signals nudge the score up or down: camera exposure data (towards real), filenames from AI tools (towards AI), and exact output sizes that AI generators use. The final AI-likelihood becomes one of six verdicts, with a confidence level that drops when signals conflict, when only one detector answered, or when the file is a video.
| AI likelihood | Verdict |
|---|---|
| 85–100% | Likely AI-generated |
| 60–84% | Possibly AI-generated |
| 41–59% | Hard to tell |
| 16–40% | Probably real |
| 0–15% | Likely real, not AI |
Why it’s free
We use open-source models and cache results for images that have already been checked (viral images get scanned a lot), so the cost per scan stays tiny. No ads in your results, no sign-up, no paywall.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is it?
When a file still carries Content Credentials or other AI labels (common for ChatGPT, Gemini, Firefly and Stable Diffusion files) the answer is essentially certain. Otherwise we combine several open-source detectors; they are right most of the time on unedited AI images but can be fooled by screenshots, heavy compression, filters and brand-new generators. That is why every result shows a confidence level and the evidence behind it — treat it as strong evidence, not proof.
Do you keep my photos, videos or text?
No. Files are analyzed in memory and thrown away as soon as your result is ready. Videos never leave your device — your browser pulls out a few frames and only those are checked. Nothing is published unless you tap Share, and then only a small preview is saved.
Is IsItMadeByAI really free?
Yes. Every scan is free, there is no sign-up, no credit card and no watermark on your results. The site runs on open-source detection models, which is how we keep it free.