ny tech firms and watchdog groups are racing to develop tools to identify fake content as realistic AI-generated photos and videos proliferate online. One commonly proposed solution is watermarking computer-generated imagery, adding an invisible flag in the form of hidden metadata that discloses that an image was created using generative AI tools. However, researchers have found that such watermarking has a major flaw - adversarial techniques can easily remove it.
A New Approach: Watermarking Real Photographs
In response to this challenge, major camera manufacturers Nikon, Sony, and Canon have announced a joint initiative to embed watermarks in real photographs, taking an opposite approach to the traditional method. The companies will include digital signatures in images taken straight from their high-end mirrorless cameras. These signatures will integrate key metadata such as the date, time, GPS location, and photographer details, cryptographically certifying the digital origin of each photo.
Implementation and Benefits
Nikon plans to launch this feature in its upcoming lineup of professional mirrorless cameras, while Sony will issue firmware updates to insert digital signatures into its current mirrorless cameras. Canon, on the other hand, intends to debut cameras with built-in authentication in 2024, along with video watermarking later that year. The goal of this initiative, as reported by Nikkei Asia, is to provide photojournalists, media professionals, and artists with irrefutable proof of their images' credibility.
Tamper-Resistant Signatures
The digital signatures embedded in the photographs will be tamper-resistant and will not go away with edits. This feature aims to aid efforts in combating misinformation and fraudulent use of photos online. By having cryptographically certified digital signatures, photojournalists, media professionals, and artists can have confidence in the authenticity of their work, making it more difficult for fake or manipulated images to be passed off as real.
Introducing Verify: An Open Standard for Digital Signatures
To support this initiative, Nikon, Sony, and Canon collaborated on an open standard for interoperable digital signatures, named "Verify." Once this standard is in place, photos taken with compatible hardware will be able to be checked online for free. This means that people will be able to determine whether a photo is authentic or not by simply checking its digital signature. If an AI-generated photo tries to pass the Verify system without an authentic signature, it will be tagged as "No Content Credentials."
Final Thoughts
The proposal to embed digital signatures in real photographs taken with high-end mirrorless cameras is a promising step in the fight against fake content. By cryptographically certifying the digital origin of each photo, these camera manufacturers aim to provide irrefutable proof of image credibility. With tamper-resistant signatures that won't go away with edits, this feature can help combat misinformation and fraudulent use of photos online. The introduction of an open standard for interoperable digital signatures, named Verify, further enhances the accessibility of this solution. Ultimately, this initiative will empower photojournalists, media professionals, and artists to protect their work and ensure its authenticity in an increasingly digital and AI-driven world.
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