Apple is being cautious about using artificial intelligence (AI) in photo editing, expressing concerns about how this technology might influence people's views on the authenticity of images. Apple's software chief Craig Federighi discussed the company's deliberations over incorporating AI-powered image editing tools in its upcoming iOS 18.1 update,during a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal.
Federighi shared that Apple's upcoming "Clean Up" feature will let users remove unwanted objects or people from their photos. However, he noted that there were extensive discussions within the company about whether to include this capability. He emphasized that Apple prioritizes the authenticity of images, unlike unlike competitors such as Google and Samsung, which allow more advanced AI-generated modifications to images.
"Our products, our phones, are used a lot," Federighi said. "It's important to us that we help purvey accurate information, not fantasy." He further explained that, while many users demand the ability to remove extraneous details from images, Apple remains focused on not altering the essential meaning of photos.
The Clean Up feature offers more limited editing options compared to rival services that allow users to add AI-generated elements to images, such as animals or other objects that were never part of the original scene. However, Federighi reiterated that Apple is "concerned" about the potential for AI to distort how people view photographic content as an accurate representation of reality.
The rise of AI-powered editing tools has led to growing concerns about the ease with which realistic but misleading images can be created, eroding public trust in photography. To counter this, any images modified with Apple's Clean Up feature will be tagged as "Modified with Clean Up" and embedded with metadata to indicate that they have been altered.
Apple is not alone in its efforts to maintain transparency in AI-edited images. Other initiatives, such as Adobe's Content Authenticity Initiative, use similar metadata systems to distinguish between authentic and AI-modified content. While Apple's system for tagging edited photos is in place, it remains unclear whether it will integrate with broader efforts like Adobe's Content Credentials.
Source: The Daily Star
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