At WWDC 2024, Apple made several exciting announcements regarding its upcoming AI features, one of which is the Image Playground AI art generator in iOS 18.
This new tool aims to enable users to create unique AI-generated images smoothly within various Apple applications. With Image Playground, Apple seeks to provide an innovative and creative outlet while ensuring responsible AI usage.
Labeling AI-Generated Images through Metadata
To address concerns about the identification of AI-generated images, Apple plans to mark these images using metadata.
During a briefing with Apple, it was revealed that the company intends to label AI-generated imagery through image metadata, also known as EXIF data. This metadata will display "Apple Image Playground" as the image source, clearly indicating that the image was created using AI.
One of the key objectives of Image Playground is to prevent the spread of misinformation through AI-generated images. To achieve this, Image Playground will only generate images in non-realistic styles such as Animation, Illustration, and Sketch.
The development of the tool involved collaboration with digital artists to create images in specific styles, which were then used to train Apple's generative AI software. By doing so, Apple has made it difficult for users to generate photorealistic imagery that can be mistaken for real-life objects or places.
Multiple Checks Will Be Involved to Prevent Inappropriate Creation
Furthermore, Apple has introduced multiple checks to prevent the creation of copyrighted and adult material. Image Playground includes safeguards that analyze the generated content and restrict the creation of such inappropriate content.
Additionally, users will have the option to provide feedback, allowing them to report any unintentional creation of copyrighted or adult content.
In recent discussions with people familiar with the matter, it was revealed that Apple added these copyright and adult content checks late in the development process of Image Playground. Early versions of the tool did not have these security measures in place, as they were not meant for external use.