As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, companies are increasingly looking at adding metadata to images to ensure transparency and authenticity. One of the most comprehensive efforts in this space is the Content Credentials project, which aims to provide a reliable way to track and verify the origins of AI-generated content.
Major tech companies like Apple, OpenAI, Adobe, Google, TikTok, and Microsoft are at the forefront of this initiative. When you create content using their tools, the resulting images will more than likely contain metadata that tracks the identity of the creator and the tools used in the generation process.
This metadata adheres to the C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) standard, a framework designed to ensure that the provenance of digital content is transparent and verifiable.
The tracking also applies when you use AI-generated fill features in applications like Photoshop. Every time you modify an image with these tools, the generated content can include metadata that can be used to trace any changes to the images back to its origin.
These watermarks serve as another layer of identification, making it clear that the image was created using AI tools. This practice helps prevent misuse and ensures that AI-generated content remains distinguishable from human-made creations.
One of the efforts that’s gaining traction is the C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) standard. You can use their tool to check the metadata added to your image.
Of course, as soon as any company tries to add hidden watermarks, others will attempt to create tools to circumvent and control them. Case in point, you can use this tool from thumbnail.ai to remove watermarks from existing images.
