Artificial Intelligence and Security in the Age of Realfakes

Mikołaj Kabała

doi:10.56583/fs.2927

Published : 2026-06-30

Vol. 19 No. 1 (2026)

Artificial Intelligence and Security in the Age of Realfakes

Mikołaj Kabała

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6113-6548

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56583/fs.2927

Abstract

his article analyzes the significance of security in the context of AI-generated images and clarifies the concept of “realfake” as a category describing synthetic or hybrid visuals that mimic the evidentiary power of documentary imagery. In the study, 217 participants evaluated 18 stimuli – real photographs, DALL-E images, and images stylized in the Ghibli aesthetic – in terms of authenticity, sharing propensity, and perceived risk. A repeated-measures ANOVA with Greenhouse–Geisser correction revealed significant differences between conditions. Real photographs were rated as the most authentic, DALL-E images as the least authentic, and Ghiblistyle images generated the highest sense of uncertainty and risk. The results justify combining detection, provenance solutions, and media literacy education focused not only on deception but also on the destabilization of the evidentiary environment.

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence, Deepfake, Fake News, Disinformation, Realfake

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Kabała, M. (2026). Artificial Intelligence and Security in the Age of Realfakes. Facta Simonidis, 19(1), 133–168. https://doi.org/10.56583/fs.2927

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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