Is Dapper Man in Louvre Heist Photo Real or AI?

A photo of police officers at the scene of a brazen heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris sparked internet rumors about a mysterious man in a stylish outfit. Many thought he was a detective inspired by fictional characters, but some believed it might be an image generated with artificial intelligence. The Associated Press photographer who took the photo confirmed that the man was real and just a passerby, contradicting earlier claims that it was AI-generated. Experts say low-resolution images and A.I. tools can make it difficult to distinguish between real and fake photos, but proper attribution from news organizations like AP can help build trust in visual evidence.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/style/louvre-heist-detective-photo.html