Image from Freepik
Google To Flag AI-Generated Images In Search
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Google Rolls Out Tool to Identify AI-Edited Images in Search Result
- Google joined the C2PA to create standards that trace digital content origins
- The system relies on the C2PA standard but adoption is limited among companies and tools.
Google announced today that it plans to roll out changes to Google Search to make it clearer which images in results were generated or edited using AI tools.
The tech giant is leveraging a technology called “Provenance” to identify and label such images, aiming to enhance user transparency and combat the spread of misinformation.
Google explained that Provenance technology can determine if a photo was captured with a camera, altered by software, or created entirely by generative AI.
This information will be made available to users through the “About this image” feature, providing them with more context and helping them make informed decisions about the content they consume.
To bolster its efforts, Google joined the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) as a steering committee member earlier this year. The C2PA has been working to develop standards for tracing the history of digital content, including images and videos.
However, TechCrunch (TC) notes that only images with “C2PA metadata” will be flagged as AI-manipulated in Google Search.
As noted by The Verge , only a limited number of generative AI tools and cameras, such as those from Leica and Sony, support C2PA specifications.
Additionally TC notes that C2PA metadata, like any form of metadata, can be removed, damaged, or become unreadable. Many popular AI tools, like Flux, which powers xAI’s Grok chatbot, don’t include C2PA metadata, partly because their developers haven’t adopted the standard.
While this initiative shows promise in combating harmful deepfakes content, its success lies in widespread adoption of the C2PA watermarking system by camera manufacturers and generative AI developers.
However, even with C2PA in place, malicious actors can still remove or manipulate an image’s metadata, potentially undermining Google’s ability to accurately detect AI-generated content.
Image by Story Set, from Freepik
Paralyzed Patient Controls Alexa With Thoughts Via Brain Implant
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- ALS patient uses Synchron BCI to control Alexa with thoughts.
- Synchron’s BCI allows him to manage smart home devices hands-free.
- The implant detects neural signals via the jugular vein, aiding independence.
Mark commented, “To be able to manage important aspects of my environment and control access to entertainment gives me back the independence that I’m losing,” as reported by Business Wire.
WIRED explains that the Synchron BCI, resembling a mesh stent with electrodes, is inserted into the jugular vein near the motor cortex rather than directly into the brain. Once implanted, it detects and wirelessly transmits neural signals.
In addition to Alexa, WIRED reported that Synchron has connected Mark’s BCI to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and the Apple Vision Pro. With this integration, Mark can use his thoughts to control the Vision Pro, navigating menus and playing games like Solitaire.
In a similar BCI project, Elon Musk’s Neuralink showcased a brain-chip user playing chess using only their mind .
Other BCI projects have shown further promises for ALS patients. One recent study enabled a man with advanced ALS to communicate through brain signals that are converted to text with up to 97% accuracy .
Despite advancements, these BCIs remain experimental. Neuralink encountered a mechanical issue with its brain implant , where several threads retracted, reducing the data collected and limiting user control.
Nonetheless, the technology continues to evolve, with new, smaller BCI models offering more efficient solutions .
