Meta, the social media giant formerly recognized as Facebook, is set to integrate an invisible watermark into all images generated through artificial intelligence (AI), intensifying efforts to curb the potential misuse of this advanced technology.
In a Dec. 6 report detailing updates for Meta AI — Meta’s virtual assistant — the company revealed it will soon add invisible watermarking to all AI-generated images created with the “imagine with Meta AI experience.” Like numerous other AI chatbots, Meta AI generates images and content based on user prompts. However, Meta aims to prevent bad actors from viewing the service as another tool for duping the public.
Similar to various AI image generators, Meta AI produces images and content in response to user prompts. The introduction of the latest watermark feature aims to enhance the challenge of removing the watermark for creators.
Meta says it will use a deep-learning model to apply watermarks to images generated with its AI tool, which would be invisible to the human eye. However, the invisible watermarks can be detected with a corresponding model.
Unlike traditional watermarks, Meta claims its AI watermarks — dubbed Imagine with Meta AI — are “resilient to common image manipulations like cropping, color change (brightness, contrast, etc.), screenshots and more.” While the watermarking services will be initially rolled out for images created via Meta AI, the company plans to bring the feature to other Meta services that utilize AI-generated images.
In its latest update, Meta AI also introduced the “reimagine” feature for Facebook Messenger and Instagram. The update enables users to exchange AI-generated images seamlessly. Consequently, both messaging services will incorporate the invisible watermark feature.
AI services such as Dall-E and Midjourney currently offer the option to include conventional watermarks in their generated content. However, these watermarks can be easily eliminated by cropping the image’s edges. Additionally, certain AI tools are capable of automatically removing watermarks from images, a loophole that Meta AI asserts cannot be exploited in its output.
Since the widespread adoption of generative AI tools, numerous entrepreneurs and celebrities have raised concerns about AI-driven scam campaigns. Scammers leverage easily accessible tools to fabricate counterfeit videos, audio, and images of well-known figures, disseminating them across the internet.
