Expert analysis uncovered that the earliest moments of the clip did not tell the whole story. The initial frames were closely cropped, hiding a logo tied to Doubao AI, a tool developed by ByteDance. That discovery suggested artificial intelligence was involved from the very beginning.
Separate investigation confirmed those suspicions. GetReal Labs, a group that verifies the authenticity of digital content, found evidence that the visuals in the opening five seconds were artificially created. According to the company, specific frames lifted from the video showed unmistakable signs of manipulation, setting them apart from the remainder of the footage.
The question of authenticity did not end there. Even experts could not confirm whether later scenes in the video—showing Peng swooping across the sky—were genuine or fabricated. The difference in quality between the sequences only made the mystery deeper. Even after the clip began its viral journey online, some media outlets, including Reuters, pulled it from circulation once the AI connection came to light.
While the video fueled fascination and worry worldwide, Peng recounted his terrifying experience in stark detail.
He described how he set out merely to try used equipment, hoping for a quiet day. Conditions changed rapidly, and an unexpected gust pushed him upwards from three to eight thousand meters, where he faced extreme cold and dangerously thin air. Despite hypoxia and biting temperatures, Peng kept alert long enough to guide himself safely back to the ground.
Authorities, however, were not impressed by the risk taken. Both Peng and his friend, who helped share the footage, were handed six month bans from paragliding due to safety breaches and unauthorized flight.
Social media bursted with admiration for Peng’s composure, undeterred by questions swirling around the video’s authenticity.
Even as the internet debates what is real and what is not, Peng’s ordeal serves as both a thrilling adventure and a timely reminder to question what we see onscreen, a conversation that echoes the ongoing challenges raised by ai cheating detection startups and the reliability of digital media.
