Google Photos is adding a new feature that lets users check if a photo was created or enhanced using artificial intelligence (AI). According to the report, the photo and video storage and sharing service is getting new source ID tags that show AI information of the image and type of digital source. The Mountain View-based tech giant may be working in this area to reduce cases of depression. However, it is not clear how to present the information to the users.
Image courtesy of Google AI Attribution
Deepfakes have emerged as a new form of digital manipulation in recent years. These are the images, videos, audio files, or other similar media which have either been digitally generated using AI or enhanced using various means to spread misinformation or mislead people. For instance, actor Amitabh Bachchan recently filed a lawsuit against the owner of a company for running deepfake video ads where the actor was seen promoting the products of the company.
According to an Android Authority report, a new functionality in the Google Photos app will allow users to see if an image in their gallery was created using digital means. The feature was spotted in the Google Photos app version 7.3. However, it is not an active feature, meaning those on the latest version of the app will not be able to see this just yet.
Within the layout files, the publication found new strings of XML code pointing towards this development. These are resource IDs, identifiers assigned to an object or resource in the application. One of them mentioned the word “ai_info”, which is said to refer to information added to the metadata of images. If the image was created by an AI tool that follows clear protocols, this section should be marked.
The “digital_source_type” tag refers to the name of the AI tool or model used to generate or enhance the image. These can include names like Gemini, Midjourney, etc.
However, it is currently unclear how Google intends to display this information. Best of all, it can be added to the EXIF(Exchangeable Image Format) data embedded in the image, so there are fewer steps to manage. But the downside is that users can’t easily see this information if they go to the metadata page. In addition, the app can add an icon to the image to display AI images, similar to what Meta did on Instagram.
