Google, Midjourney and Others to Tag AI-generated ImagesGoogle, Midjourney and Others to Tag AI-generated Images

Google is partnering with image publishers to tag AI-generated images with labels identifying them as such, one step in the fight towards stemming the tide of fake photos.

Google said it is working with text-to-image generator Midjourney and Shutterstock, the stock image provider, as well as other companies to mark up images with the label, ‘AI-generated.' Google did not mention DALL-E, created by its rival OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.

“We will ensure that every one of our AI-generated images has a markup in the original file to give you context,” according to a Google blog post.

Google said its partner companies will also do the same.

Google also announced that it will be introducing a new tool in Search to help users spot fake or manipulated images. Called ‘About This Image,’ the tool will roll out in the next few months, first in the U.S. and in English.

It will let users discover when Google first indexed the image and similar images, as well as where it may have first appeared and where else it has been seen online.

To use ‘About This Image,’ click on the three dots on an image in Google Images results, by searching an image or screenshot in Google Lens or swiping up in the Google App.

Later this year, users will be able to just right-click or long-press the image in the Chrome web browser whether on desktop or mobile.