‘About this Image’: Google unveils new feature to detect AI-generated images

Google has recently announced new features for its image search that will help users identify AI-generated images and provide more context about the images they find online, Google announced in a blog post. These features are part of Google’s efforts to combat misinformation and promote transparency on the web.

One of the new features is called “About this image”, which will show a drop-down menu with information such as when an image or similar ones were first indexed by Google, where they first appeared, and the original source of the image. This feature will be available by clicking on the three dots above an image in Google search results, searching with Google Lens, or swiping up in the Google app. It will help users verify the authenticity and origin of an image, especially if it is related to a breaking news event or a controversial topic.

Another feature is a metadata markup that will allow creators and publishers to label their images as AI-generated, using a standard schema.org property. Google said that its own generative AI tools, such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, will include this metadata with each image they produce, regardless of whether they are displayed on a Google platform or not. Users will be able to see this label in Google search results, marking the images as AI-generated. Google said that several publishers, including Midjourney, Shutterstock, and others, will roll out this markup in the coming months.

These features are expected to launch this summer for English-language searches in the US, and Google plans to expand them to more languages and regions in the future. Google hopes that these features will help users make more informed decisions about the images they see online and foster a more trustworthy web environment.

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