Google plans to introduce images created by artificial intelligence in a new update to Google Photos

Google is rolling out a major new update that will make it easier to find images created or edited with artificial intelligence.

Starting this week, Google Photos will add a new “AI Info” section to the image details display to let users know if the image they’re viewing was created or processed with AI. By checking this information, users will be able to more easily see when an image was created with AI tools like the Google Gemini app or processed with AI features like Google Photos’ Magic Eraser.

The first was leaked earlier this month via a tipster Collect Debugthese new AI transparency features are now available officially announced in a recent Google Photos blog post detailing how the company will make it easier for users to detect AI in images.

As shown in the screenshot above from Android Authoritythe new AI information section includes “Authority: Made with Google AI” and “Digital source type: Made with Generative AI”, indicating that the selected image is an AI generation and not a real photo. These details come from information known as IPTC metadatawhich is optionally embedded in image files when they are saved or edited.

According to Google, you’ll also see when tools like Magic Editor, Magic Eraser, and Zoom Enhance were used. And because IPTC metadata is an industry-standard format, you’ll be able to see similar AI information exposed by programs from many other companies, including Adobe and Microsoft.

Why is information about AI important?

Amid growing concern about the potential abuse of artificial intelligence, Google’s latest moves will increase transparency and awareness of the tools available, and give users a first line of defense against image-based misinformation and deep fakes. If you’re not sure about an image you’ve found online, you can download it and open it in Google Photos to quickly check if AI tools have been used before making a decision about its authenticity.

The change may also make users think twice before sharing edited images, as their recipients may be warned that the image has been edited. This information can have a positive impact on rooting out misinformation and deepfakes or projecting a realistic body image online.

A good start, but not a solution to the problem

While Google’s latest moves will undoubtedly bring more transparency to users, it’s important to note that Google is simply passing on information that is voluntarily stored in images. While Google’s AI-powered tools automatically embed this information, other tools may not. What’s more, anyone who chooses to hide the use of AI will be able to do so easily, as editing or removing the IPTC metadata before sharing an image is extremely easy – just take a screenshot of the image. Many online services automatically remove such data when uploading content, so it is not only possible, but likely, that this “AI Information” will be lost during the digital journey from the original creator to you. Conversely, it’s just as easy for a bad actor to add fake AI tags to a real photo to discredit it.

However, more sophisticated methods are under development. Google is already implementing more reliable technologies such as SynthIDwhich embeds invisible watermarks into AI-generated images, videos, text or audio that can be decoded later by software tools.

These watermarks are much more difficult to remove because they are deeply fused with the actual media they protect, rather than as a simple tag that can be removed or changed. For example, removing the artist’s name from the label next to the painting would be easy, but hiding the artist’s style would be much more difficult since it is an integral part of the work. SynthID watermarks are like invisible brushstrokes that only an experienced forensics expert can detect.

To find new information about Google Photos AI, select a photo and swipe up in the app, or tap the (i) icon that appears on the web at photos.google.com.

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