AI images aren’t going anywhere. If anything, 2025 has made it clear that generated visuals are only getting more convincing — and that means the demand for reliable detection tools is higher than ever.
Two names that come up often in this space are TruthScan and SightEngine. Both claim to detect AI-generated content and help users separate real images from synthetic ones. But while they share the same mission, their approaches and focus areas are very different.
So which one actually does it better? Let’s dig in.
What is TruthScan?
TruthScan is a full-stack AI detection suite built for teams who need answers fast and at scale. You get six tools out of the box — AI Text Detector (99%+ accuracy), AI Image Detector (with real-time analysis), Real-time AI Detector (always-on monitoring), Deepfake Detector (video forensics), and AI Voice Detector (voice-clone defense).
For this comparison, the star is the AI Image Detector. It doesn’t just drop a binary verdict. You get a confidence score plus context that helps explain the call — the kind of transparency that matters to editors, researchers, trust & safety teams, and brands that can’t afford a false positive.
Because TruthScan also runs with deepfake, text, and voice detectors, it also plays nicely in multi-modal investigations where an image isn’t the only questionable asset.
Bottom line: it’s not a hobby tool. It’s infrastructure.
What is SightEngine?
SightEngine positions itself as a content moderation powerhouse. Its platform doesn’t just handle AI detection — it covers everything from nudity and violence detection to spam filtering, profile image validation, and even exposure/quality analysis.
That broader coverage makes it appealing for large platforms managing huge amounts of content. Key features include:
- AI Image Detection: Flags generative AI images and deepfakes.
- Image & Video Moderation: 110 classes across nudity, violence, hate, drugs, weapons, etc.
- Text Moderation: Scans for profanity, hateful language, or inappropriate content.
- Circumvention Detection: Identifies hidden links, QR codes, or attempts to bypass platform rules.
- Spam & Duplicate Control: Flags repetitive or near-duplicate content.
- Quality Checks: Assesses blurriness, bad framing, and lighting.
It’s fast, scalable, and API-friendly — clearly designed with developers in mind. But that “cover everything” approach means AI detection is just one feature among many, not the main focus.
TruthScan vs. SightEngine: AI Image Detection Correctness
Test #1
Truthscan: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 97%
SightEngine: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 99%
Test #2
Truthscan: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 98%
SightEngine: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 91%
Test #3
Truthscan: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 98%
SightEngine: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 79%
Test #4
Truthscan: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 97%
SightEngine: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 99%
Test #5
Truthscan: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 98%
SightEngine: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 99%
Test #6
Truthscan: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 98%
SightEngine: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 99%
Test #7
Truthscan: Correctly classified image as AI-generated.
AI Likelihood Score: 97%
SightEngine: Unsure of the image’s origin.
AI Likelihood Score: 41%
Average Score
Wrapping Up
SightEngine is a strong moderation platform — fast, API-ready, and stacked with classification coverage that makes policy teams’ jobs easier. If your top goal is platform safety and you want to centralize nudity, violence, text toxicity, and quality checks under one roof, it’s a smart choice.
But when it comes specifically to AI image detection, the numbers don’t lie. In testing, TruthScan hit 97.71% correctness, while SightEngine landed at 86.71%.
That gap matters. For moderation, 86% might be “good enough.” Great, even. But if you’re in journalism, research, or fraud prevention — where a false positive or missed fake can have real consequences — that 10-point lead is a big deal.
TruthScan is simply more accurate. And in 2025, when AI-generated images are everywhere, that difference makes it the clear winner.
