Gemini AI Found Removing Watermarks, Including Getty Images
Users on social media have highlighted an interesting, but controversial use case of Google’s new Gemini AI model: culling watermarks from images, including images published by Getty Images and other renowned stock media portals, as per a Tech Crunch report.
Unrestricted Capabilities of Gemini 2.0 Flash Model
The Gemini 2.0 Flash model appears to have precious few guardrails, and in addition to removing watermarks, it can generate images of famous personalities and copyrighted animated characters without any fuss. For instance, it can create images of individuals like Elon Musk and characters like Pikachu.
Notably, only last week, Google had expanded access to Gemini 2.0 Flash’s image generation feature. This particular feature is ‘experimental’ and ‘not for production use’ as of now, and is only available for use on Google’s developer-facing tools like AI Studio.
Limitations and Ethical Stance
The Gemini 2.0 Flash model, with its cutting-edge capabilities, raises important ethical considerations in the realm of AI transparency and usage. To enhance AI transparency and ethical considerations, it is essential for developers to prioritize responsible AI practices. Tools like these demand a cautious approach to ensure that they are used responsibly for the betterment of society and not for malicious intent.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Regarding the legality of removing watermarks, the US copyright law prohibits the removal of watermarks without the original owner’s consent, except for rare instances.
The European Union’s AI Act mandates that outputs of an AI system must be in a “machine-readable format” and discernible as “artificially generated or manipulated”.
Meanwhile, China has announced ‘identification measures’ requiring AI-generated content to have human and machine-readable notifications. Files generated by AI must be labeled for user awareness.
Global Implications
As AI technology advances, it is crucial for countries worldwide to revise existing laws or introduce new legislation to protect the rights and security of copyright holders.
Inspiration for Regulation
Chinese policymakers have reportedly drawn inspiration from the EU’s AI Act for their regulatory framework. This move underscores the significance of comprehensive legal frameworks in regulating AI.
