A Disturbing Mitch McConnell Image Went Viral. Then Investigators Found a Hidden AI Fingerprint

Even as the number of deepfake images explodes, other AI tools are helping set the record straight.

BY CHLOE AIELLO, REPORTER @CHLOBO_ILO

Senator Mitch McConnell is seen as the Senate votes on amendments to a reconciliation package, at the U.S. Capitol on June 4, 2026. Photo: Getty Images

A shocking image circulating on social media of an ailing Sen. Mitch McConnell has been debunked as AI, thanks to popular tools from Google and OpenAI.

On Tuesday, an image began making the rounds on Reddit and social media platform X. It appeared to show an ashen-faced McConnell, lying in a hospital bed and hooked up to a dizzying array of tubes. The Republican senator from Kentucky has been hospitalized since mid-June with little detail shed on his condition. The image was reposted........

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