Google’s New AI Detection Tool SynthID – What Could It Mean for Creative Fields?

It works by imperceptibly marking synthetic images so they can be identified later. While focused on images now, this has big implications for creative fields as AI detection spreads.

Increasingly powerful AI techniques like GANs can generate strikingly realistic media - images, audio, video, and text. This opens the door for new forms of misinformation and fraud. In response, researchers are developing AI detection systems to identify machine-generated content.

SynthID is an early example focused on images. But what if similar capabilities mature for other content types like music and writing? How might the ability to distinguish “real” vs “fake” creations impact creative professionals across industries?

It could significantly disrupt music, film, journalism, and more. Songs or articles created by AI may get flagged or excluded from pay and recognition. Movies may incorporate generated visuals while keeping key footage “human-made.” Artists across disciplines could see income decline as synthetic content loses value.

There are parallels to how photography and sampling were first received as “cheating” by existing creators. Initially, machines and humans often get cast as rivals. But historically, the most creative minds discover how to harmoniously combine our complementary strengths.

For now, AI detection is in its infancy, and generative AIs will rapidly evolve to avoid it. There are many open questions around ethics, attribution, and policy. But if history repeats, with open minds and meaningful debate, we can find the right balance.

I explored potential implications across music, film, writing, art, and other areas in a full blog post here:

https://jongriffinmusic.com/googles-new-ai-detection-tool-synthid-and-what-it-means-creative-fields

Let me know your thoughts in the comments! I’m keen to hear perspectives on where these AI trends might lead and how we should respond.