Google Photos Will Now Tag AI-Edited Images with an Invisible Digital Watermark—Here’s How It Works

Google is stepping up its approach to AI-generated content by integrating SynthID, its digital watermarking technology, into Google Photos. Starting this week, images edited using the Reimagine feature in Magic Editor will be tagged with an invisible identifier, making it easier to detect AI modifications.

With AI-powered image editing becoming more advanced, distinguishing between traditional photos and AI-enhanced visuals has become increasingly difficult. This move is part of Google's broader initiative to ensure transparency in AI-generated media.

What is SynthID?

SynthID is a digital watermarking tool developed by Google DeepMind that embeds an imperceptible marker into AI-generated content-including images, video, audio, and text-without affecting quality.

The watermark remains detectable even after common modifications like cropping, color adjustments, and compression. This means that even if an AI-edited image is resized or altered further, Google's detection system can still identify it.

How SynthID Works in Google Photos

Google first introduced SynthID for Imagen 2 and Imagen 3, its AI-driven text-to-image models. The technology was later expanded to ImageFX for AI-generated images and Veo, Google's AI-powered video generator. Now, it's making its way into Magic Editor in Google Photos, specifically marking images edited through the Reimagine feature.

Users can verify whether an image (or part of it) was AI-generated by using the "About this image" feature, available in Google Search and Chrome. This tool provides insights into:

• Where the image appears across the web and how it's being used.

• Metadata details, including creation timestamps and sources.

• SynthID watermark detection, identifying whether an image contains AI edits.

Limitations of SynthID

While SynthID is a powerful step toward AI transparency, it isn't foolproof. Google has acknowledged that minor changes, such as tweaking the color of a small object, may not always be flagged. This suggests that while the watermark is robust against major alterations, subtle edits may go undetected.

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Story first published: Friday, February 7, 2025, 11:42 [IST]