The world of artificial intelligence continues its relentless march forward, and with each advancement, I find myself reflecting on how remarkably my past observations align with current developments. Recently, Google unveiled a feature within its Gemini app that allows users to verify if an image is AI-generated [https://officechai.com/ai/google-now-lets-users-check-if-an-image-is-ai-generated-through-the-gemini-app/]. This is achieved by detecting SynthID watermarks embedded by Google’s own image generation models [https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/image-generation].
On the surface, this sounds like a commendable step towards transparency, helping us distinguish between what's real and what's a convincing fabrication. But for me, it underscores a profound truth I’ve pondered for years: the very technology creating these incredibly realistic fakes must also be leveraged to verify them. This duality, this constant evolution, is precisely what I spoke about when I wrote that "Future is Nearer!" [http://emailothers.blogspot.com/2017/08/future-is-already-here-and-not-rosy.html], noting how AI systems like Google's DeepMind were developing the ability to "imagine" and "plan," essentially thinking like humans.
It’s a striking validation of my earlier insights. Back in 2017, when discussing technologies like Microsoft's "Seeing AI" and the pervasive nature of tools like Google Glass, I highlighted how devices would soon be able to "capture and share" everything about us, often without our explicit permission [http://emailothers.blogspot.com/2017/07/re-for-attn-shri-sadanand-gowdaji_25.html]. Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen, in their 2013 book “The New Digital Age,” had already articulated this impossibility of controlling what others capture and share. This new photo-verification feature, while positive, is born from the necessity to counteract the very capabilities of AI that I foresaw — the ability to create incredibly convincing, yet entirely artificial, realities. It implicitly acknowledges that the digital realm has become a minefield where authenticity is constantly challenged.
My blog titled "Privacy does not live here !" [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/07/privacy-does-not-live-here.html] delved into how our personal information—from our eating habits to our medical histories—would be relentlessly collected and disseminated by interconnected devices and platforms. In a similar vein, the challenge of authenticating digital images extends beyond simple verification; it touches upon the core of trust in a digitally mediated world. If we can't trust what we see, what can we trust?
This development from Google is a crucial step, but it also serves as a potent reminder that the technological tide is ceaseless. As AI becomes more sophisticated in both creation and detection, the line between the artificial and the authentic will continue to blur, requiring constant vigilance and innovative solutions. The dialogue around data protection and digital authenticity, which I urged policymakers to address years ago [http://mylinkedinposting.blogspot.com/2025/02/every-flight-you-take.html], remains as vital as ever.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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