More phones may soon let us prove photos are real - but will it solve the AI fake image crisis?
As AI-generated images and videos become increasingly realistic, tech companies are implementing content authenticity standards like C2PA to verify the origin of digital media. The article questions whether these technical solutions are sufficient to combat the broader crisis of misinformation and eroded trust.
Why it matters
The proliferation of AI-generated 'slop' threatens the integrity of visual evidence, impacting everything from consumer trust to legal and social accountability.
Filip Baotić/Unsplash More phones may soon let us prove photos are real – but will it solve the AI fake image crisis? Published: August 23, 2026 4:05pm EDT https://theconversation.com/more-phones-may-soon-let-us-prove-photos-are-real-but-will-it-solve-the-ai-fake-image-crisis-290051 https://theconversation.com/more-phones-may-soon-let-us-prove-photos-are-real-but-will-it-solve-the-ai-fake-image-crisis-290051 Link copied Share article Share article
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“Pics or it didn’t happen” was a thing people used to say online when they wanted to verify a claim. Technology has changed this.
We now regularly see a mix of the surreal and the fantastic. World leaders saying things they didn’t . Public figures seemingly endorsing fake products . And disasters that unfold before our eyes but didn’t really happen .
Now, anyone can create photorealistic images or videos using AI for a range of purposes. This has changed the nature of visual evidence and our relationship to photos and videos, more broadly.
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