AI-generated images are making it impossible to distinguish truth from fiction. We need laws and AI watermarks to protect our shared reality.

The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence is blurring the line between real and fabricated images, undermining our ability to trust visual proof.
Historically, photographs have been trusted as a foundation of evidence, but generative AI can now produce highly realistic images that sever that link to reality.
The misuse of synthetic images as propaganda in both war and politics poses a threat to public understanding and collective judgment, which are crucial for democratic societies.
Without measures to distinguish real images from those generated by AI, the credibility of all visual media could be undermined, leading to skepticism and the erosion of collective judgment.
A combination of legal frameworks, technical innovations like “AI watermarks,” and a cultural shift towards accountability is needed to restore trust in visual media in the digital age.
Mandatory disclosure and traceability of AI-generated images, alongside supportive legal measures, are essential to reestablishing a new form of trust in the digital era.
The goal is to construct mechanisms that allow society to still anchor shared understanding through images, even in the face of digital manipulation.