The Day Photos Stopped Being Proof

For nearly two centuries, a photograph suggested that something had been in front of a camera. Generative AI breaks that connection. This illustrated video essay follows the story from early photography and Photoshop to AI-generated images, Boris Eldagsen’s photography award, and the “liar’s dividend” — the possibility of dismissing real evidence as fake. It also looks at Content Credentials and a question that may matter more than “Does this look real?”: Where did this image come from? CHAPTERS 00:00 When seeing meant believing 00:43 The promise of photography 01:56 Photoshop and manipulation 02:36 Images without cameras 03:33 The AI photography award 04:17 Why images spread faster than verification 05:22 “That’s AI” and the liar’s dividend 06:26 Content Credentials and provenance 07:31 Trust becomes the scarce resource What do you check first when a surprising image appears in your feed? #AI #Photography #Deepfakes