Google to increase transparency of AI-powered content in search results and ads with C2PA

Google has announced that it plans to increase the transparency of content created with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its products, specifically by integrating the C2PA standard in its search results and ads which will display content credentials.

The tech giant has shared its goal of continue to help users better understand how content has been created or modified with AI over time, so that they can be better informed through innovative tools and solutions.

In this regard, earlier this year the American company joined as Steering Committee Member of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), a Joint Development Foundation protocol created to curb online misinformation and content fraud.

Specifically, it is a standard that allows publishers, companies and content creators Incorporate metadata into your visual and audio materials to verify their origin and related information. Its code is also freely accessible and secured using cryptography. C2PA is already widely adopted with companies such as Adobe, Intel, Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI, Sony and Truepic, among others, as is the case of Amazon, who also recently announced his incorporation into the C2PA Steering Committee.

Now, Google has announced that it is Increasing transparency of AI-generated content with the C2PA standardwhich it plans to incorporate into Google’s search results and ads. To do so, as explained in a statement on its blog, the technology company has been working with other members of the C2PA to develop and improve the technology used to attach provenance information to content.

This provenance technology is based on a system that can help explain whether a photo was captured with a camera, edited by software like Photoshop, or directly created by generative AIBy having this information, users can “make more informed decisions” about the content they interact with.

As a result of this work, Google has collaborated in the development of the latest version 2.1 of the C2PA standardwhich includes content credentials. As he explained, it is a More secure version that covers a wider range of manipulation attacksas it incorporates stricter technical requirements to validate the provenance history of content.

CONTENT CREDENTIALS IN ADS AND SEARCH RESULTS

In this context, Google has announced that “in the coming months” will incorporate this version 2.1 of the C2PA standard into some of its productswhich will include content credentials in search results and ads.

In relation to the search resultsif an image contains C2PA metadata, users will be able to access it through the New ‘About this image’ feature. By clicking on this option, you will be shown information about how it was created or whether it was edited using online tools. This feature encompasses all images viewed online and can be accessed through Google Images, Lens, and the Surround to Search tool.

On the other hand, as regards the adsGoogle has indicated that they will also begin to Integrate C2PA metadata. This way, it will show information about whether the content of an ad has been generated or edited by AI.

To ensure the operation of this system, the company has indicated that the Content will be validated against the upcoming C2PA Trusted Listwhich allows partner platforms to confirm the origin of content. The technology company has also announced that it aims to increase the use of C2PA credentials over time, as well as to report on how they apply their policies in this regard.

Following this line, Google has announced that they are also exploring ways to transmit information with the C2PA content credentials to YouTube viewers, when capturing content with a camera.

With all this, Google has ruled that will have further updates on this “later in the year”, while detailing that it will continue working with other companies in the industry to create “sustainable and interoperable” solutions.