Which Image is Real? F-14 Tomcat

Below are 4 images.

Only one is real. I know this because I took it myself.

My photo is of an F-14 Tomcat on the deck of the Intrepid museum in New York City.

The other 3 images are AI-generated. I created them using Ideogram.ai and ChatGPTChatGPT is an advanced language model developed by OpenAI, designed to understand and generate human... More.

Which one do you think is the real image? See the answer below!

The real image of the real praying mantis is:

Image #3

Some clues that give away the AI images:

✈️ 1. Surface Texture and Real-World Wear

#3 (REAL): The aircraft’s body shows realistic signs of wear — scuffs, chipped paint, slight rusting around the intake, and varied grime levels. The nose cone’s matte finish contrasts properly with the shinier fuselage, and the gear bay doors have believable panel depth.
AIArtificial Intelligence (AI) is basically when computers get smart—really smart. Imagine if your c... More Tells:

• #1 and #2 are too clean — minimal wear for an old aircraft on display. The markings feel “pasted on” with overly sharp, uniform textures.
• #4 has some surface smudging but lacks subtle aging details — and the shadows around its landing gear feel off.

🏙️ 2. Background Details and Environmental Accuracy

#3: Look closely at the surroundings: the modern high-rises are all different in design, height, and texture — consistent with real architecture. Plus, the black signboard in the back reads clearly: “STORAGE”, with uneven kerning and realistic fading.
AI Tells:

• #1 and #2 have uncanny-smooth buildings, particularly those with repetitive or too-perfect window patterns.
• #4 has suspicious uniformity in window size and spacing — a common AI slip when generating urban skylines.

🔗 3. Chain Posts and Shadows

#3: The metal poles and chains are imperfect — some leaning slightly, chain slack varies. Shadows under the aircraft and poles are soft and naturally taper with distance.
AI Tells:

• #1 and #2 have copy-pasted poles with identical spacing and chain shapes.
• #4’s shadows are too sharp and consistent — as if they were generated without a true light diffusion model.

⚙️ 4. Landing Gear and Undercarriage Detail

#3: The landing gear includes hoses, connectors, brake lines, and grime — all captured with photographic clarity and depth. You can even spot some oil staining near the wheel wells.
AI Tells:

• #1 and #2 have overly smooth and plasticky wheel wells — lacking real-world messiness.
• #4 has simplified gear shapes, almost molded rather than mechanical.

🛠️ 5. Extra Real-World Clutter

#3: There are slight rust stains near the chains, discoloration on the concrete, and debris around the base of the aircraft — tiny but telling details AI often forgets.
AI Tells:

• #1, #2, and #4 have a showroom-clean look. Even the ground looks freshly power-washed.

Ever Wonder What It’s Like to Stand on a WWII Aircraft Carrier? 🛩️⚓

Take a fascinating video tour aboard one of the most iconic ships in American history—permanently docked on the Hudson River in New York. Host Leslie Mueller takes you straight onto the flight deck, where brave pilots once launched into the skies during World War II.

But the real surprises are below deck.

You’ll get a close-up look at the Enterprise (no, not that one—this one’s a real spacecraft!), plus a rare peek inside the restoration hangar, where skilled hands are carefully bringing a Blue Angels jet and a prototype Skyraider back to life.

If you love history, aviation, or just seeing how things work behind the scenes, this video is a must-watch.

More From the Senior Tech Cafe ‘Real or AI?’ Challenge

You can check out our archive of ‘Real or AI?’