Google Photos Rolls Out Transparency Feature for AI-Edited Images

In acknowledgement of how generative AI makes complex image manipulation very easy and widely accessible, Google Photos is getting an info section that identifies such edits. When you swipe up on an image, the “Details” section at the bottom will show a new “AI info” section if the proper metadata is present. This joins the file name, backup status, and location with the ‘i’ icon badged by a sparkle. Appearing in Google Photos for Android, iOS, and the web, the “Credit” field will note “Edited with Google AI” or “Made by Google AI” in the case of Pixel Studio and Gemini. Under “Digital source type,” you’ll see

• Edited using Generative AI: Refers to Magic Editor, Magic Eraser, and Zoom Enhance. Only the last one is exclusive to Google phones, with the “Magic” tools available to all Photos users on Android and iOS. Those creations already feature metadata based on standards from The International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC).
• Composite of captured elements: Best Take and Add Me, which are exclusive to Pixel devices, don’t use generative AI, but don’t capture a real moment. This is not limited to Google tools and will work with other images that follow the IPTC metadata standard where “Credit” and a “Digital Source Type” are noted. AI edit info is rolling out starting next week to Google Photos. In adding this transparency, Google notes how “removing unwanted distractions or objects, perfecting the lighting or even creating a new composition” are no longer “time-consuming complex tasks.” As we bring these tools to more people, we recognize the importance of doing so responsibly with our AI Principles as guidance. Looking ahead, Google is looking at “more transparency around AI edits,” with the company joining the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) earlier this year.