Google is introducing new labels in search results to clearly mark content created or edited using artificial intelligence (AI). The move is aimed at increasing transparency and helping users make better decisions about the content they see online, especially as AI-generated media becomes more widespread.

Google has announced that it will integrate technology from the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), whose steering committee members are Google, to tag content with specific metadata, indicating whether it was created by AI tools. In the coming months, these labels will be added to products like Google Search, Images, and Lens. When users come across images or media that contain C2PA metadata, they will be able to use Google’s “About this image” feature to see whether it was generated or edited by AI. The feature will provide valuable context about images, helping people understand more about the origins of the content they interact with.

In addition to search, Google will also incorporate this AI-generated content labeling into its advertising system. The integration of C2PA metadata will help ensure that ads with AI content comply with Google’s policies. The system is designed to improve the way Google enforces its key advertising rules, making the platform more reliable for both users and advertisers.

Another area where this technology could be applied is YouTube. Google is exploring ways to label videos created by AI or edited with AI tools, giving viewers more transparency. More updates on this feature are expected later in the year.

To secure this system, Google and its partners have developed new technical standards called content credentials to track the history of content creation. These credentials will help verify whether a photo or video was taken by a specific camera model, edited, or created by AI. They are designed to resist tampering and ensure that the source remains trustworthy.

Google’s commitment to increasing transparency extends far beyond content labeling. The company is also continuing its work on SynthID, an embedded watermarking tool created by Google DeepMind that will help identify AI-generated media in a variety of formats, including text, images, audio, and video. With these changes, Google aims to make online content more transparent, trustworthy, and easier to understand as AI continues to influence the way media is created.