Google Photos Adds Invisible Watermarks to AI-Edited Images

The SynthID tool embeds imperceptible digital tags in photos edited with Google’s Magic Editor to improve transparency and traceability.

Google Photos will now use SynthID, a digital watermarking tool, to label images edited with the AI-powered Reimagine feature in Magic Editor.
The watermark is invisible to the human eye but detectable by machines and systems, including Google Search, to identify AI alterations.
SynthID retains its watermark even after cropping, color changes, or compression, ensuring persistent identification of AI-edited content.
The 'About this image' feature in Google Photos and Chrome provides users with metadata about the image, including its AI editing history.
Some minor edits, such as subtle color changes, may not be detectable by SynthID, highlighting limitations in the technology’s coverage.