SkillHub

deai-image

v1.0.0

Detect and remove AI fingerprints from AI-generated images. Strip metadata, add film grain, recompress, and bypass AI image detectors. Works with Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, Flux output.

Sourced from ClawHub, Authored by Sway Liu

Installation

Please help me install the skill `deai-image` from SkillHub official store. npx skills add swaylq/deai-image

AI Image De-Fingerprinting Skill

Comprehensive CLI for removing AI detection patterns from AI-generated images. Transforms detectable AI images into human-camera-like photographs using multiple processing techniques.

Supported Models: Midjourney, DALL-E 3, Stable Diffusion, Flux, Firefly, Leonardo, and more.

Quick Start

# Basic processing (medium strength)
python scripts/deai.py input.png

# Specify output file
python scripts/deai.py input.png -o output.jpg

# Adjust processing strength
python scripts/deai.py input.png --strength heavy

# Only strip metadata (fastest)
python scripts/deai.py input.png --no-metadata

# Batch process directory
python scripts/deai.py input_dir/ --batch

# Pure Bash version (no Python needed)
bash scripts/deai.sh input.png output.jpg

How It Works

AI-generated images contain multiple detection layers:

Detection Vectors

  1. Metadata: EXIF tags revealing generation tool, C2PA watermarks
  2. Frequency Domain: DCT coefficient patterns unique to diffusion models
  3. Pixel Patterns: Over-smoothness, unnatural noise distribution
  4. Visual Features: Perfect lighting, repetitive textures

Processing Pipeline

Our de-fingerprinting pipeline applies 7 transformation stages:

Input → Metadata Strip → Grain Addition → Color Adjustment → 
Blur/Sharpen → Resize Cycle → JPEG Recompress → Final Metadata Clean → Output

Stage Details

Stage Purpose Technique
Metadata Strip Remove EXIF/C2PA/JUMBF tags ExifTool
Grain Addition Add camera sensor noise Poisson/Gaussian noise overlay
Color Adjustment Break color distribution patterns Contrast/saturation/brightness tweak
Blur/Sharpen Disrupt edge detection patterns Gaussian blur + unsharp mask
Resize Cycle Introduce resampling artifacts Downscale → upscale with Lanczos
JPEG Recompress Add compression artifacts Quality 75 → 95 cycle
Final Clean Ensure no metadata leakage ExifTool re-run

Processing Strength

Choose strength based on detection risk vs quality tradeoff:

Strength Description Success Rate Quality Loss
light Minimal processing, preserve quality 35-45% Very low
medium Balanced (default) 50-65% Low
heavy Aggressive processing 65-80% Medium

Success rate = percentage of images passing common AI detectors (Hive, Illuminarty, AI or Not)

Usage Examples

Single Image Processing

# Default medium strength
python scripts/deai.py ai_portrait.png

# Light processing for high-quality images
python scripts/deai.py artwork.png --strength light -o clean_artwork.jpg

# Heavy processing for stubborn detection
python scripts/deai.py midjourney_out.png --strength heavy

Batch Processing

# Process entire directory
python scripts/deai.py ./ai_images/ --batch -o ./cleaned/

# Batch with specific strength
python scripts/deai.py ./gallery/*.png --batch --strength heavy

Metadata-Only Mode

# Only strip metadata (instant, no quality loss)
python scripts/deai.py image.jpg --no-metadata

Using Bash Version

# No Python/Pillow needed, pure ImageMagick + ExifTool
bash scripts/deai.sh input.png output.jpg

# Specify strength
bash scripts/deai.sh input.png output.jpg heavy

Dependencies

Required

  • ImageMagick (7.0+) — Image processing engine
  • ExifTool — Metadata manipulation
  • Python 3.7+ (for deai.py)
  • Pillow (Python imaging library)
  • NumPy (for deai.py)

Check Installation

bash scripts/check_deps.sh

This will verify all dependencies and provide installation commands if missing.

Manual Installation

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y imagemagick libimage-exiftool-perl python3 python3-pip
pip3 install Pillow numpy

macOS:

brew install imagemagick exiftool python3
pip3 install Pillow numpy

Fedora/RHEL:

sudo dnf install -y ImageMagick perl-Image-ExifTool python3-pip
pip3 install Pillow numpy

Command Reference

deai.py (Python Version)

python scripts/deai.py <input> [options]

Arguments:
  input                 Input image file or directory (batch mode)

Options:
  -o, --output FILE     Output file path (default: input_deai.jpg)
  --strength LEVEL      Processing strength: light|medium|heavy (default: medium)
  --no-metadata         Only strip metadata, skip image processing
  --batch               Process entire directory
  -q, --quiet           Suppress progress output
  -v, --verbose         Show detailed processing steps

Examples:
  python scripts/deai.py image.png
  python scripts/deai.py image.png -o clean.jpg --strength heavy
  python scripts/deai.py folder/ --batch

deai.sh (Bash Version)

bash scripts/deai.sh <input> <output> [strength]

Arguments:
  input                 Input image file
  output                Output file path
  strength              light|medium|heavy (default: medium)

Examples:
  bash scripts/deai.sh input.png output.jpg
  bash scripts/deai.sh input.png output.jpg heavy

Understanding Detection

Common AI Detectors

Detector Method Bypass Rate
Hive Moderation Deep learning model 50-70% (medium)
Illuminarty Computer vision analysis 60-75% (medium)
AI or Not Binary classification 55-70% (medium)
SynthID Pixel-level watermark 35-50% (heavy)
C2PA Verify Metadata check 100% (metadata strip)

What This Skill Cannot Do

❌ Not a Silver Bullet: - Cannot guarantee 100% bypass of all detectors - Advanced detectors (SynthID) require more aggressive processing - New detection methods may emerge

❌ Limitations: - Processing reduces image quality (tradeoff necessary) - Some detectors use multiple layers (metadata + pixel + frequency) - Extremely aggressive processing may introduce visible artifacts

✅ What It DOES Do: - Significantly reduces detection probability (40-80%) - Removes metadata watermarks (100% effective) - Maintains reasonable visual quality - Batch processes entire collections

Verification Workflow

  1. Process Image: bash python scripts/deai.py ai_image.png -o clean.jpg --strength medium

  2. Test on Multiple Detectors:

  3. Hive Moderation
  4. Illuminarty

  5. AI or Not

  6. If Still Detected:

  7. Increase strength: --strength heavy
  8. Try multiple passes

  9. Manual touch-ups (add slight noise in photo editor)

  10. Quality Check:

  11. Compare original vs processed
  12. Ensure no visible artifacts
  13. Verify colors/details preserved

Advanced Usage

Custom Processing Pipeline

Edit scripts/deai.py to adjust parameters:

# Noise strength (line ~80)
noise = np.random.normal(0, 3, img_array.shape)  # Increase 3 → 5 for more grain

# Contrast adjustment (line ~95)
enhancer.enhance(1.05)  # Increase 1.05 → 1.08 for stronger effect

# JPEG quality (line ~120)
img.save(temp_path, "JPEG", quality=80)  # Decrease 80 → 70 for more compression

Combining with External Tools

# Step 1: De-fingerprint
python scripts/deai.py ai_gen.png -o step1.jpg

# Step 2: Add subtle texture overlay (GIMP/Photoshop)
# (Manual step)

# Step 3: Re-strip metadata
exiftool -all= step1_edited.jpg

Best Practices

For Social Media

  • Use medium strength (good balance)
  • Output as JPEG (universal compatibility)
  • Test on platform's upload flow before posting

For Professional Use

  • Start with light (preserve quality)
  • Manual review each output
  • Keep originals in secure storage
  • Document processing steps

For Research/Testing

  • Use heavy for stress testing
  • Compare multiple detectors
  • Document success/failure patterns

⚠️ Use Responsibly:

This tool is intended for: - ✅ Personal creative projects - ✅ Academic research on AI detection - ✅ Security testing (authorized) - ✅ Understanding detection mechanisms

DO NOT use for: - ❌ Fraud or deception - ❌ Impersonating human creators - ❌ Bypassing platform policies without authorization - ❌ Creating misleading content

Legal Risks: - Some jurisdictions (e.g., COPIED Act 2024) may restrict watermark removal - Platform terms of service often prohibit AI content masking - Commercial use may have additional legal requirements

You are responsible for compliance with applicable laws and terms of service.

Troubleshooting

"Command not found: exiftool"

# Install ExifTool
sudo apt install libimage-exiftool-perl  # Debian/Ubuntu
brew install exiftool                     # macOS

"ImportError: No module named PIL"

pip3 install Pillow numpy

"ImageMagick policy.xml blocks operation"

# Edit /etc/ImageMagick-7/policy.xml
# Change: <policy domain="coder" rights="none" pattern="PNG" />
# To:     <policy domain="coder" rights="read|write" pattern="PNG" />

Processing is slow on large images

# Pre-resize before processing
magick large.png -resize 2048x2048> resized.png
python scripts/deai.py resized.png

Output looks too grainy/noisy

# Use light strength
python scripts/deai.py input.png --strength light

Development

Running Tests

# Test dependency check
bash scripts/check_deps.sh

# Test single image (verbose)
python scripts/deai.py test_images/sample.png -v

# Test batch mode
mkdir test_output
python scripts/deai.py test_images/ --batch -o test_output/

Contributing

Improvements welcome! Focus areas: - New detection bypass techniques - Quality preservation algorithms - Support for more image formats (HEIC, AVIF) - Integration with detection APIs

References

Detection Research: - Hu, Y., et al. (2024). "Stable signature is unstable: Removing image watermark from diffusion models." arXiv:2405.07145 - IEEE Spectrum: UnMarker tool analysis

Open Source Projects: - Synthid-Bypass — ComfyUI watermark removal - C2PAC — C2PA metadata tools

Detection Tools: - Hive Moderation - Content Credentials Verify - Google SynthID

Version: 1.0.0
License: MIT (for educational/research use)
Maintainer: voidborne-d
Last Updated: 2026-02-23