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Google is expanding its AI content detector beyond the Gemini app. It will now be able to detect watermarked AI-generated images, videos and audio in Google Chrome and Google Search, the tech giant said Tuesday during its annual Google I/O event.
Google's SynthID invisible watermark system was released to the public after years of testing and development late in 2025, allowing you to share an image in the Gemini app and ask if it's real. The chatbot then searches for the watermark and gives you an answer.
With the expansion to Chrome and Search, you'll now also be able to use Google's Circle to Search feature or right-click on an image online, and ask if something was generated with AI.
The SynthID watermark has been used on over 100 billion images and videos as well as "60,000 years of audio assets," according to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. Millions of people have used the SynthID detector in the Gemini app, he said.
You can use check to see whether an image was generated by AI using a prompt in Gemini, Circle to Search or Google Search.
Google/Screenshot by CNET"As generative AI gets better, so does the need for more transparency," Pichai said. "We are adding content credentials verification across products. This will show you if the origin of a piece of content was AI or a camera, and if it has been edited with generative AI tools."
One of the criticisms when SynthID launched was that it could only be used to identify Gemini-created content, rather than pictures made by other AI image generators. But now, Google is also expanding the SynthID watermark via partnerships with companies including ChatGPT maker OpenAI and AI voice generator ElevenLabs, in addition to Nvidia, which signed on to use SynthID last year.
"It's great to see the cross-industry collaboration," Pichai said. "We are looking forward to expanding to more partners and setting the standard of transparency for the AI era."
Gemini Omni, a new hyper-realistic video creation tool previewed at Google I/O, will also bake SynthID into its videos.
Google has made partnerships with OpenAI, Nvidia, Kakao and ElevenLabs to use SynthID.
Google/Screenshot by CNET
