Instagram says eyes mislead; Samsung exec says no real picture Moon photo feud
Instagram’s head just warned us that “you can’t trust your eyes to tell you what’s real anymore.” The comment lands amid a growing chorus of tech leaders questioning the fidelity of images that flood our feeds. Last year, Samsung’s Galaxy line sparked a debate when its Moon shots looked eerily crisp, prompting skeptics to wonder whether software was stitching together details that never existed in the sky. Apple’s senior engineer, Craig Federighi, echoed that unease in a Wall Street Journal interview, saying he’s “concerned” about how AI‑driven editing could blur the line between capture and creation.
The controversy isn’t just about brag‑worthy night shots; it’s about the trust we place in visual evidence when algorithms can rewrite pixels in real time. As platforms double down on AI tools that enhance, replace, or even generate entire scenes, the industry faces a fundamental question: when does a picture stop being a photograph and become something else entirely?
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Samsung exec Patrick Chomet took the approach that "actually, there is no such thing as a real picture," after controversies last year over the Galaxy phones' approach to Moon photography, and Apple's Craig Federighi told the WSJ he's "concerned" about the impact of AI editing. But hey, maybe we're
Samsung exec Patrick Chomet took the approach that "actually, there is no such thing as a real picture," after controversies last year over the Galaxy phones' approach to Moon photography, and Apple's Craig Federighi told the WSJ he's "concerned" about the impact of AI editing. But hey, maybe we're just another Instagram slideshow or two away from figuring all of this out. Adam Mosseri: The key risk Instagram faces is that, as the world changes more quickly, the platform fails to keep up. Looking forward to 2026, one major shift: authenticity is becoming infinitely reproducible.
Can we still trust what we see? Mosseri’s warning that eyes now mislead feels inevitable as Instagram rolls out a 20‑image showcase of what he calls “infinite synthetic content.” He notes the personal feed has been dead for years, and The Verge’s Sarah Jeong adds that the default assumption about a photo will soon be that it’s faked, because realistic fakes are trivial to produce. Samsung’s Patrick Chomet pushes the argument further, insisting there is no such thing as a real picture after the Galaxy Moon‑photo controversy.
Meanwhile, Apple’s Craig Federighi has voiced concern over AI editing’s impact. The statements converge on a single point: distinguishing authentic imagery is becoming harder. Yet it is unclear whether platforms will develop reliable signals to restore confidence, or if users will simply accept a perpetual blur between truth and fabrication.
For now, the debate remains open, and the industry’s next steps are still uncertain.
Further Reading
- When Samsung's Moon Algorithm Goes Full Comedy Mode - Gadget Hacks
- Samsung exec stirs up controversy on AI photos, says there's no real ... - SamMobile
- Yes, Mr. Samsung Exec, There is Such a Thing as a 'Real' Photo - PetaPixel
- Is Your Samsung Still Faking Moon Photos? - YouTube - YouTube (Shayne Mostyn)
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Common Questions Answered
What did Instagram head Adam Mosseri say about trusting our eyes?
He warned that “you can’t trust your eyes to tell you what’s real anymore,” emphasizing that visual perception is increasingly unreliable due to synthetic content flooding the platform.
How did Samsung executive Patrick Chomet describe the concept of a “real picture” after the Moon photo controversy?
Chomet claimed “there is no such thing as a real picture,” arguing that the Galaxy phones’ Moon photography, which sparked debate over possible software stitching, illustrates how images can be artificially enhanced beyond what the camera actually captures.
What concerns did Apple senior engineer Craig Federighi express regarding AI‑edited images?
Federighi told the Wall Street Journal he is “concerned” about the impact of AI editing, fearing that realistic fakes will become trivial to produce and undermine trust in visual media.
What is Instagram’s new “infinite synthetic content” feature and how does it relate to the platform’s feed?
Instagram is rolling out a 20‑image showcase called “infinite synthetic content,” which Mosseri says reflects the shift away from a personal feed that has been dead for years, highlighting the platform’s move toward algorithm‑generated visuals.