What Is an AI Image Detector?
Many AI tools write a small label inside the picture file when they create it. The label says where the image came from and, in many cases, that AI made it. These labels live in the file's metadata — the same hidden data that stores camera settings and captions. Three kinds matter most: C2PA (a signed origin record), XMP (Adobe data, including AI notes), and IPTC (credits and source details).
An AI Image Detector reads those labels and gives you a clear answer. If the file carries a C2PA record or an explicit AI note, the answer is "AI photo" and the tool names the label. If it only finds a generator name, such as Adobe Firefly or Midjourney, the answer is "Maybe AI". If it finds nothing at all, the answer is "No AI label" — and the tool says plainly that this does not prove the photo is real, because labels can be stripped out or never added in the first place.
The label check does not look at the pixels. It never guesses about them, and it never claims a photo is real or fake. The percentage bar under each answer shows only how strong the AI labels found in the file are — 100% means a full AI label was found, 50% means a hint, and 0% means nothing was found. Under it, the model score is a second, separate number: Sightengine's pixel-based guess that the photo is AI-made. The two numbers measure different things — one reads labels, the other reads pixels.
How to Use the AI Image Detector Tool
- Drop photos onto the upload area, or click it to choose files. JPG, PNG and WebP are supported, up to 20 photos at a time.
- The tool checks each photo automatically as soon as you add it — no extra click needed.
- Read the answer on each photo — "likely real" or "likely AI" — with the AI likelihood bar, confidence and classification below it. The label check shows what is written inside the file.
- "No AI label" does not prove a photo is real — labels can be removed, or never added.
- Use Try Another Image to start over with a new set of photos.
Key Features of Our AI Image Detector Tool
- Reads C2PA, XMP and IPTC labels in JPG, PNG and WebP photos
- Three clear answers: AI photo, Maybe AI, No AI label
- An AI likelihood bar under each answer: red above 50%, green at 50% or below — from the pixel model
- Free model checks: 10 photos a day on this device
- Pixel-based model score from Sightengine, shown under each answer
- Names every label it finds, in plain words — no jargon
- Batch checking of up to 20 photos at once
- Checking starts automatically — no button to press
- Honest results: a missing label is never presented as proof a photo is real
- Label check is 100 percent client-side: no uploads, no account, no watermark
Benefits of Using an AI Image Detector Tool
The main benefit is a quick, honest check before you share or trust a photo. A picture that arrives with an AI label tells you straight away that it was made or edited with AI. That matters when you repost images, check a photo someone sent you, or use a picture for work.
It also saves time. Instead of opening a file's properties and hunting through raw metadata, you drop the photo in and read one line per file. The check runs in your browser, so it is instant and your photos never leave your device.
It pairs well with the Remove Image Metadata tool. Check a photo first: if it has an AI label you do not want, clean the label off with the metadata tool. The detector tells you what is there; the cleaner takes it out.
Your privacy comes first. The label check runs entirely in your web browser — nothing you enter is sent to our servers. The model check is different: it sends a copy of your photo to Sightengine so its pixel model can score it. MamaTool does not store the photo. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Common Use Cases for the AI Image Detector Tool
- Checking a photo someone sent you before reposting it
- Seeing whether a stock or social media image was AI-generated
- Verifying images before using them in an article or a listing
- Checking your own AI-made pictures to see which labels they carry
- Spotting generator names in photos you received from clients
- Teaching others how AI labels travel inside image files
- Checking a batch of images at once before publishing them
- Deciding whether a photo's labels need removing before sharing
Tips for Getting the Best Results
- Check the original file when you can. Editing, re-saving or screenshotting a photo can strip its labels, so a copy may show "No AI label found" while the original had one.
- Treat "No AI label found" as "nothing written here", not as "this is a real photo". Labels can be removed, and some generators never add one.
- A C2PA label is the strongest signal this tool can find, because it is a signed record of where the image came from.
- A "Possible AI hint" means the file names an AI tool. It is worth a second look, but it is not proof on its own.
- Read the label answer and the model score together. When they agree, the answer is stronger. When they disagree, treat the photo as uncertain — neither number alone proves a photo is AI-made or real.
- If a photo has a label you do not want to share, use the Remove Image Metadata tool to strip it — the pixels stay exactly the same.
AI Image Detector FAQ
Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
The label check: no. It reads each file in your browser and checks the metadata parts inside the file — your photos never leave your device for that check. The model check: yes. A copy of your photo is sent to Sightengine so its pixel model can score it. MamaTool does not store the photo.
Can this tool prove a photo is real or AI-made?
No. It reads only the labels written inside the file. An AI label is strong evidence that the file was made or edited with AI, but the tool never looks at the pixels, so it cannot judge a photo that carries no label.
What does "No AI label" mean?
It means the file carries no AI label in its metadata. Labels can be removed before sharing, and some generators never add one, so this result is not proof that the photo is real.
What does the percentage bar mean?
The bar shows the model score — Sightengine's pixel-based guess, from 0% to 100%, that the photo was AI-generated. Above 50% the bar turns red; at 50% or below it is green, because the photo is likely real. It is a probability, not proof — even the best models sometimes call a real photo AI, and a low score does not prove a photo is real.
How many photos can I check for free?
The model check is free for 10 photos a day on this device — the limit resets every day and protects the free model quota. The label check has no limit and keeps working after the model checks run out.
What is the model score?
The model score is Sightengine's pixel-based guess, from 0% to 100%, that the photo was AI-generated. It is a probability, not proof — even the best models sometimes call a real photo AI, and a low score does not prove a photo is real.
What happens when the free model limit runs out?
The model check pauses and the tool shows a note. The label check keeps working — it is free, private, and has no limit.
What labels does it look for?
It looks for C2PA origin labels, AI assertions in XMP and IPTC data (such as DigitalSourceType "trainedAlgorithmicMedia"), generator names such as Adobe Firefly, DALL-E and Midjourney, and AI notes written in photo text. It checks JPG, PNG and WebP files.
Can I check more than one photo at once?
Yes. You can check up to 20 photos at a time, each up to 25 MB. Checking starts automatically as soon as you add a photo.
Does it look at the pixels of my photo?
The label check does not — it reads only the metadata parts of the file, so invisible pixel watermarks such as Google SynthID are not detected by it. The model check does: it sends a copy of your photo to Sightengine, whose model scores the pixels.
My photo has an AI label — how do I remove it?
Use the Remove Image Metadata tool on MamaTool. It strips EXIF, IPTC, XMP and C2PA labels from the file without changing the pixels. Removing a label does not make the pixels undetectable to a pixel-based detector.