By Matt O'Brien
Facebook and Instagram users will start seeing labels on AI-generated images that appear on their social media feeds, part of a broader tech industry initiative to sort between what's real and not.
Meta said Tuesday it's working with industry partners on technical standards that will make it easier to identify images and eventually video and audio generated by artificial intelligence tools.
What remains to be seen is how well it will work at a time when it's easier than ever to make and distribute AI-generated imagery that can cause harm — from election misinformation to nonconsensual fake nudes of celebrities.
"It's kind of a signal that they're taking seriously the fact that generation of fake content online is an issue for their platforms," said Gili Vidan, an assistant professor of information science at Cornell University. It could be "quite effective" in flagging a large portion of AI-generated content made with commercial tools, but it won't likely catch everything, she said.
Meta's president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, didn't specify Tuesday when the labels would appear but said it will be "in the coming months" and in different languages, noting that a "number of important elections are taking place around the world."
"As the difference between human and synthetic content gets blurred, people want to know where the boundary lies," he said in a blog post.
Meta already puts an "Imagined with AI" label on photorealistic images made by its own tool, but most of the AI-generated content flooding its social media services comes from elsewhere.
A number of tech industry collaborations, including the Adobe-led Content Authenticity Initiative, have been working to set standards. A push for digital watermarking and labeling of AI-generated content was also part of an executive order that U.S. President Joe Biden signed in October.
Clegg said that Meta will be working to label "images from Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Adobe, Midjourney, and Shutterstock as they implement their plans for adding metadata to images created by their tools."
Google said last year that AI labels are coming to YouTube and its other platforms.
"In the coming months, we'll introduce labels that inform viewers when the realistic content they're seeing is synthetic," YouTube CEO Neal Mohan reiterated in a year-ahead blog post Tuesday.
One potential concern for consumers is if tech platforms get more effective at identifying AI-generated content from a set of major commercial providers but miss what's made with other tools, creating a false sense of security.
"There's a lot that would hinge on how this is communicated by platforms to users," said Cornell's Vidan. "What does this mark mean? With how much confidence should I take it? What is its absence supposed to tell me?"
Matt O'Brien is an AP technology writer
Warner Bros. Discovery To Launch Max In 7 Southeast Asia Markets Next Month
Warner Bros. Discovery’s (Nasdaq: WBD) streaming service Max will launch on November 19 in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, as well as Taiwan and Hong Kong.
JB Perrette, CEO and president of Global Streaming & Games at Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “We are thrilled to bring Max to more consumers in Asia. Max brings together unparalleled quality content from iconic brands like HBO, Discovery, the DC Universe, Harry Potter, AFN, and Cartoon Network, as well as Hollywood blockbusters all in one place. Building on successful launches in the U.S., Latin America and Europe, Asia Pacific represents the next phase of Max’s globalization, making Max available now in over 72 markets with more to come in 2025.”
James Gibbons, president at Warner Bros. Discovery, APAC said, “Warner Bros. Discovery has long entertained fans across Asia Pacific with culture-defining content from powerhouse brands. For the first time, this programming will be available in a brand new streaming app for regional audiences, with Max combining incredible breadth and depth and a best in class viewing experience.”
Come November 19, subscribers can enjoy an elevated streaming experience on multiple devices with an easy to navigate interface including personalized recommendations, seamless search, genre rails and brand hubs. Providing a more intuitive way of exploring Max, subscribers can create up to five unique profiles, each customizable with favorite characters as avatars, receive content picks based on viewing habits and customize profiles for kids, curated with age-appropriate content and parental controls
Max will offer a collection of fan favorite content from theatrical hits, culture-defining shows, best in class real-life... Read More