Istanbul's Heritage Teams Battle AI-Generated Landmark Images Online

This week, Istanbul's municipal government announced a new initiative to tackle the growing issue of duplicate image replacement, where AI-generated images of the city's landmarks are being shared online, potentially misleading tourists and damaging the city's reputation.

The issue matters now because Istanbul is heavily reliant on tourism, with over 14 million visitors in 2022, according to the Istanbul Tourism Directorate. The city's unique cultural heritage, including the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, is a major draw for tourists, and any misrepresentation of these landmarks could have serious consequences for the local economy. With the Turkish lira experiencing high inflation, the city can ill afford to lose tourist revenue.

In local neighborhoods such as Sultanahmet and Beyoglu, business owners are already reporting concerns about the impact of duplicate image replacement on their trade. The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the issue, with posters and flyers being distributed in popular tourist areas such as Istiklal Avenue and the Grand Bazaar. Meanwhile, organizations such as the Turkish Heritage Preservation Society are working to verify the authenticity of images shared online, using techniques such as reverse image searching and geolocation mapping.

The Scale of the Problem

According to data from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, there were over 1.3 million instances of duplicate image replacement reported in the first six months of 2026, with the most common targets being the Topkapi Palace and the Bosphorus Bridge. The cost of dealing with the issue is also significant, with the municipal government allocating an additional 1.5 million Turkish lira to its heritage preservation budget to tackle the problem. With the average cost of a tourist visa for Istanbul standing at 400 Turkish lira, the city can ill afford to lose visitors due to misinformation.

As the city moves forward, residents and business owners are being advised to be vigilant when sharing images online, and to verify the authenticity of any images they come across. The Istanbul municipal government has also launched a website where residents can report instances of duplicate image replacement, and is working with social media companies to remove fake images from their platforms. By working together, the city hopes to protect its reputation and preserve its unique cultural heritage for future generations.