The organization is using viral AI images to teach Americans how to spot fake imagery
NEW YORK, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Columbia Journalism Review, the most respected voice on press criticism and the future of news, is launching a global campaign to educate social-media users on the risks of AI-driven deception—and the role we all play in spreading fake visuals. With misinformation claims rising to 80% for images and video1, and 34 million AI-generated images being created daily2, the need for consumers to educate themselves on how to detect AI is more important than ever.
For the past 100 years, photography has been one of the greatest tools journalists have to establish truth and trust. But today, AI-generated photos are making it increasingly difficult for consumers to distinguish between real and fake media. Last year, a study of 2,000 US consumers reaffirmed the concern, as 76% of participants were unable to spot AI-generated images3.
To educate consumers and help them differentiate real versus AI imagery, Columbia Journalism Review, in partnership with agency partner TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, is launching The PSAi, a unique, music video-centered social media campaign that outsmarts AI with AI—animating viral AI images that have made waves in culture to teach people how to spot fake images. People can visit thepsai.com to watch the music video and learn more about how to identify AI and understand the impact it has had on our media ecosystem.
“AI has already begun to transform the environment for news and information. The novel approach of this campaign is to use AI as a tool to spot AI visuals as fakes—and to highlight the role everyone plays in making them go viral. Since 1961, CJR has advocated for best practices in the journalism community, and we believe in strong standards for verification, transparency, and media literacy. With this campaign, we are also recognizing that if the press once had a singular power to document and publish news, versions of that work are now also visible across the vast expanse of the internet—populated by disinformation agents, synthetic-media hobbyists, and all of us who share what we see when we scroll. At stake is trust in substantiated information and the health of democracy. It is our hope that people will feel empowered by this campaign to recognize their individual roles as newsmakers, and to promote a future based on truth,” said Betsy Morais, Acting Editor of the Columbia Journalism Review.
Added Dustin Tomes, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\Chiat\Day NY, “There’s never been more confusion about what’s real and what’s fake on the internet. The PSAi is designed to give people simple, effective tools to spot the difference—without requiring too much effort. This isn’t a silver bullet, but by delivering this education in a memorable way, we hope more people will engage and apply these lessons. After all, fake news doesn’t spread itself. This isn’t an anti-AI campaign; in fact, AI played a critical role in creating it. But today, we’re all newsmakers— so we have to be more aware. We’re proud of our longstanding partnership with the Columbia Journalism Review to spotlight timely issues like ‘Are You Press Worthy?’ — so coming together again for this project felt not only fitting, but essential.”
To support the launch and continue its fight against misinformation, this week the Columbia Journalism Review is rolling out a series of articles on AI, including a collaboration with USC’s AI for Media and Storytelling initiative (AIMS) to feature a collection of voices from across the news industry—reporters, media executives, visual journalists, and others—on how they use (or reject) AI in the daily course of their work at https://www.cjr.org/. Laura Preston, a journalist focused on AI, has written about the experience of using ChatGPT to get her news. CJR will also share new research on AI and the press from Columbia’s Tow Center for Digital Journalism. There will be new coverage each day, including a story about AI detection tools, a local news AI project, and more.
To learn more about the campaign, visit thepsai.com and cjr.org.
REFERENCES
1 NBC News. 29 May 2024. AI image misinformation has surged, Google researchers find https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/ai-image-misinformation-surged-google-research-finds-rcna154333
2 Forbes. 10 March 2025. 15 Mind-Blowing AI Statistics Everyone Must Know About Now
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2025/03/10/15-mind-blowing-ai-statistics-everyone-must-know-about-now/
3Insights. 16 May 2024. 76% of US consumers unable to spot AI-generated images in new test
ABOUT COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW:
CJR’s mission is to be the intellectual leader in the rapidly changing world of journalism. It is the most respected voice on press criticism, and it shapes the ideas that make media leaders and journalists smarter about their work. Through its fast-turn analysis and deep reporting, CJR is an essential venue not just for journalists, but also for the thousands of professionals in communications, technology, academia, and other fields reliant on solid media industry knowledge. Learn more about CJR at https://www.cjr.org/.
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SOURCE Columbia Journalism Review