Social media posts circulated an AI-generated image claiming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived at San Jose airport to an empty tarmac. The image, posted September 20, 2026 and reshared hundreds of times, does not match 9News footage or photos from the scene. San Jose airport told AFP the image "is not at SJC," and OpenAI's verification detected a SynthID watermark indicating the file was created with AI tools. AFP labeled the image synthetic and misleading.
AI-Generated Image Falsely Shows Australia PM Alone On San Jose Tarmac — Verification Finds SynthID Watermark
Screenshot of the false post captured on September 22, 2026, with a red X and AI tag added by AFP
Social posts claiming Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived at San Jose Mineta International Airport to an empty tarmac were based on an AI-generated image and misleading context. The image, shared on September 20, 2026, does not match live footage or photos of the arrival and carries an invisible SynthID watermark linking it to OpenAI image tools.
What happened
Comparison of the AI-generated image (L) and screenshots of the live footage of the Australian PM stepping off the plane and greeting the ambassador, with vehicles, a fence and a road behind him
Albanese landed in California on September 19 ahead of a United Nations leaders' meeting in New York and a scheduled meeting with former Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss child online safety laws and proposals to regulate AI-generated content. A Melbourne-based user posted an image in a Facebook group critical of the prime minister, calling the scene an "absolute humiliation" and suggesting he had been snubbed by US officials. The post was reshared more than 400 times.
Why the image is false
Screenshot comparison of the AI image (L), with the discrepancy of the shadows and the number of windows highlighted in red by AFP, and a photo of Albanese alighting from his plane published by the Australian Associated Press
Multiple verifications show the widely shared photo is synthetic:
- Video footage from Australian broadcaster 9News shows vehicles, a fence and a public road behind the aircraft; the real arrival area differs from the AI composition.
- Visual inconsistencies in the circulated image include a passenger-stair shadow that does not align with the plane's shadow and a plane window pattern that does not match photos published by the Australian Associated Press.
- San Jose Mineta International Airport confirmed to AFP that the image "is not at SJC," and that media screenshots with 9News chyrons correctly reflect the South Cargo location where the aircraft parked.
- OpenAI's verification tool detected an invisible SynthID watermark embedded in the file, indicating the image originated from OpenAI's image-generation tools. These watermarks are designed to remain detectable even after common edits such as cropping or filtering.
Spread and reactions
Screenshot of results from OpenAI's verification platform
The image circulated across platforms including Facebook and X and was shared by users in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Several commenters treated it as authentic, using it to suggest the United States had intentionally snubbed Australia's prime minister. AFP — which has previously fact-checked other AI-generated content involving the prime minister — flagged this post as misleading.
Context
The appearance of AI-generated political imagery highlights growing concerns about synthetic media and the importance of verification. Australia has recently moved to strengthen child online safety laws and is considering further regulation of AI content, measures discussed during Albanese's U.S. visit.
Bottom line
The image portraying Albanese walking across an empty San Jose tarmac is synthetic and misleading. Verified video and photos show attendants and background details that do not appear in the AI-created image, San Jose airport confirmed the scene was not at SJC, and OpenAI's verification tool identified a SynthID watermark in the file.
Help us improve.
