Google Gemini Drops Visible Watermarks

Google has introduced a new setting in its AI tool Gemini, allowing users to remove visible watermarks from images, videos, and music generated with the tool. The visible watermark, a sparkle icon that appears in the bottom-right corner of content generated with Google's Nano Banana and Omni models, can now be toggled off.

The new setting, called Media Watermark, will be available in Gemini and Google's video editor, Flow, with support for Search coming soon. Invisible SynthID watermarks and C2PA metadata will still be embedded in AI-generated content, even if the visible watermark is removed. This means that users can still verify if an image or video is AI-generated by asking Gemini or Search.

According to Josh Woodward, Google's VP of Gemini, AI Studio, and Google Labs, the change strikes a balance between creative control and safety. The toggle to remove the visible watermark will be available for the Nano Banana, Omni, and Lyria models. Google is also open-sourcing a new library called Credentio to let developers embed a local validation mechanism in their apps.

The change reflects the industry's evolving approach to labeling AI-generated content, with visible watermarks being seen as a hindrance to creative work. Other AI image generators, like OpenAI and Meta's, also don't apply visible watermarks, instead relying on invisible watermarks and metadata. Anthropic has also announced that it is adding invisible C2PA-based watermarks to text and files generated by Claude, to comply with EU regulations.

## Why it matters The removal of visible watermarks from AI-generated content has significant implications for creative professionals and users alike. While visible watermarks can make content less useful for professional and creative work, the need to identify AI-generated content remains. The use of invisible SynthID watermarks and C2PA metadata provides a balance between creative control and transparency.

The feature is rolling out in the coming days and will be available to all users, except in countries where visible watermarks are required by law. Users can access the new setting by going to Settings > Media Watermark in Gemini and Flow. With this update, Google is providing users with more control over their AI-generated content, while still maintaining transparency and verification mechanisms.