There’s no evidence this Mitch McConnell photo is AI-generated

A photo shared by U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell showing him alive and recovering from a fall sparked widespread speculation about the photo’s authenticity; some claimed without evidence that it was created by artificial intelligence.

The 84-year-old Republican announced that he was hospitalized recently after suffering a fall and contracting mild pneumonia.

Questions arose about his health after he had not been seen in public for weeks.

BBC Verify’s Jake Horton explains how we can tell if the photo is real.

The production is produced by Sophie Bott. Meiying Wu’s photo. Graphics by Sally Nicholls.