9 Techniques To Spot AI-Generated Videos

The line between real and artificial videos is getting blurry. Using tools like OpenAI’s Sora, it's never been easier to create eerily realistic video content. This tech unlocks endless creative possibilities but also has dangerous potential. AI-generated videos can entertain or mislead, fueling fake news and realistic deepfake scams.

In this blog, we’ll equip you with 9 techniques to spot AI-generated videos and bring these strategies to life with real-world examples.

1. Study Faces, Expressions And Eyes

We humans are expressive creatures. Our faces are made up of more than 40 muscles. This allows for a huge range of movement and microexpressions. We also have subtle asymmetries and natural rhythms in our facial movements. AI-generated videos often struggle to replicate these nuances perfectly. To determine whether a video is real, look out for unnatural eye behavior, micro-expressions, and perfect facial symmetry.

2. Listen To The Voice Inside

Never underestimate your own instincts. The term “uncanny valley” was introduced by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in the 1970s. He noticed that as robots became more human-like in appearance, people’s comfort levels went up. However, once the resemblance became very close but not exactly perfect, people suddenly felt uneasy or creeped out. This sudden drop in comfort is what we now call the uncanny valley.

3. Pay Attention To Hands

Hands are another way AI videos can be spotted. This is because AI struggles to render fingers convincingly because of the complexity and variability in how human hands and fingers move, interact, and appear.

Hands might have too many fingers or odd shapes or move in stiff, unnatural ways. Sometimes, it can be quite scary! Watch closely if a speaker’s gestures fail to match their words, fingers seem to blend together or morph in impossible ways.

4. Look For Actions That Don't Make Sense

In everyday life, people perform a vast range of seemingly pointless actions. They might tap a pen, adjust their glasses, or scratch their forearm. These are normal, expected behaviors and are referred to as "adaptors." They’re typically unconscious habits that can help relieve nervous energy or aid concentration.

AI-generated videos are created by algorithms that learn from large sets of images and clips. While they’re good at reproducing movement, they don’t fully understand why people do certain small, unconscious things, like adaptors. As a result, the AI might show someone holding an object in a way that seems off or trying to replicate adaptors that don’t match what real people do.

5. Make Sure Objects Aren’t Passing Through Each Other

It's simple physics. Two solid objects can’t occupy the same space at the same time. If you see objects or body parts moving through walls, furniture, or even other people, you aren't seeing a ghost. You're watching an AI-generated video.

6. Watch For Violations Of Gravity And Momentum

Gravity and momentum dictate how objects move. When someone (or something) jumps, there’s a predictable arc and a specific amount of time before landing. If the subject appears to float unnaturally, move over a surface too easily, or if a falling object slows down midair without any physical cause, you're most likely watching AI-generated footage.

7. Study How Objects And People Interact

AI-generated videos often struggle to show objects interacting naturally with people or other elements in the scene. This is because AI has difficulty replicating the seamless cause-and-effect relationships we see in real life.

A clear example is eating. Watch closely for these kinds of errors: Does the fork line up naturally with the mouth? Does the food behave as it should, or does it look stiff and unrealistic? When real objects and people interact, the result is smooth, believable, and responsive. In AI videos, you’ll often find that objects act as if they’re part of separate worlds, failing to connect or react in ways that match reality.

8. Look For Morphing

AI often morphs objects people are holding because it struggles to distinguish them from the person’s body. Instead of treating the object as separate, the AI may blend it into the person’s features, especially if it overlaps with hands or the body. This happens because AI models focus primarily on faces and bodies, with less precision for secondary elements like held items. As a result, objects can appear warped or melted, particularly during movement or when partially obscured.

These distortions demonstrate the current limitations of AI in handling complex interactions between people and objects.

9. Look At The Lips

Your auditory and visual systems are closely interconnected. The brain combines what you hear and see to make sense of speech. This is why it’s easier to understand someone when you can see their lips moving. Humans are also highly sensitive to timing in audiovisual information—even a slight delay (as small as 100 milliseconds) can stand out. These natural abilities make it easier to detect AI-generated videos.

AI video often struggles with lip-syncing because human lips are incredibly complex and hard to replicate. When we speak, our lips move in precise, coordinated ways that change with accents, emotions, and speaking styles. AI must align these movements perfectly with the audio, and even a tiny mismatch can make the video feel unnatural.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Easiest Way To Spot AI-Generated Videos?

Focus on faces, hands, and physics. Look for unnatural eye movements, overly perfect facial symmetry, or stiff, unrealistic hand gestures. Watch for objects defying gravity, moving oddly, gliding on surfaces, or passing through each other.

Is It Always Possible To Spot AI-Generated Content?

No. That’s why it’s important to trust your instincts. If something feels off, such as unnatural facial expressions, odd movements, or unsettling details, listen to your gut.

Will AI-Generated Content Replace CGI Effects?

AI is making content creation faster and cheaper, so it might replace CGI for simple visuals. However, for complex scenes and full creative control, high-end CGI still does the job better. In the future, AI will likely work alongside CGI to make effects more efficient.

How Can I Avoid Scams That Use AI-Generated Videos?

Be cautious of common scams like fake job offers, impersonation attempts, and investment schemes, as AI can now create real-time video impersonations. Pay attention to details like objects passing through each other, distorted hands, or physics that don’t make sense. Remember, AI often struggles to perfectly sync what you’re hearing with what you’re seeing. Finally, trust your instincts. If it seems suspicious, it probably is.