Trump Said Harris Used AI to Fake Crowd Size. Here's Why That Claim Was Debunked. What's real in the age of AI and deepfakes?

Despite what former President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social on Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris's 15,000-person crowd in Michigan was not fake or created with AI.

Trump claimed on Sunday that Harris "cheated" and "A.I.'d" the crowd of supporters who greeted her when she arrived at the airport in Detroit on Wednesday.

"There was nobody at the plane," Trump wrote, later calling for Harris to be disqualified from the election because "the creation of a fake image is ELECTION INTERFERENCE."

Related: Facebook Issues Apology After Photo of Donald Trump Was Erroneously Labeled 'Altered'

But the image was not made with AI. It was taken at an event covered by Fox News, Reuters, the Detroit News, and other media outlets. Fox Detriot wrote on Wednesday that "thousands" attended the Detroit rally, and confirmed today that an estimated 15,000 people showed up.

Harris's campaign responded to Trump's accusation by stating that the image was real. Videos from the event, as well as Getty Images photos captured at the time, confirm that the image was real too.

Tech giants including Google, Meta, and Microsoft have pledged to keep an eye on their platforms for AI-altered or created content ahead of the November election. But this may not be able to stop an influx of AI-generated content — and claims of fake photos.

As of last month, Google requires advertisers to disclose when they use deepfakes, or realistic AI versions of people's voices and likenesses, in election ads.

Despite these efforts, AI has already made multiple appearances this election season. In February, an AI robocall in President Joe Biden's voice told 20,000 New Hampshire Democrats not to vote in the state's presidential primary.

1) This is an actual photo of a 15,000-person crowd for Harris-Walz in Michigan

2) Trump has still not campaigned in a swing state in over a week... Low energy? pic.twitter.com/VgTfoMAcuk

— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 11, 2024

In late July, Elon Musk shared a parody video of Harris with his 193.8 million followers on X. In the video, Harris's voice and likeness are manipulated to say statements like "I was selected because I am the ultimate diversity hire."

Musk did not disclose that the video was a parody when he shared it. He endorsed Trump in early July.

After the attempt on Trump's life at a rally in Pennsylvania in July, a Meta spokesperson apologized after the company incorrectly labeled a photo of Trump as "altered."

Trump is scheduled to appear in an interview with Musk on X Monday evening.