Google’s latest AI innovation, the Gemini 2.0 Flash model, is causing quite a stir in the digital world. If you haven’t heard, this new AI tool can remove watermarks from images with surprising ease, sparking a lively debate, especially among folks in the stock media industry.
Recently, Google expanded the availability of Gemini 2.0 Flash’s image generation features, making it easier than ever for users to create and tweak image content. But here’s the kicker—it seems this powerful tool doesn’t have enough restrictions. It can effortlessly generate images of celebrities and copyrighted figures, and yes, it can even remove watermarks from existing photos.
Social media platforms like X and Reddit are buzzing with users noting that not only does Gemini 2.0 Flash remove watermarks, but it also fills in the gaps left behind with impressive skill. While other AI tools offer similar functions, Gemini 2.0 Flash stands out for its proficiency and accessibility, being free to use.
Right now, this feature is labeled as “experimental” and “not for production use,” accessible only through Google’s developer-focused tools like AI Studio. Despite its capabilities, the model isn’t perfect. It struggles with semi-transparent watermarks and those covering large parts of images.
This has copyright holders worried about the model’s lack of usage controls. Competing AI models, like Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4o, have clear policies against removing watermarks, calling it “unethical and potentially illegal.” In fact, U.S. copyright law usually considers removing watermarks without the owner’s consent illegal.
As of now, Google hasn’t commented on these concerns, as requests for a response were made outside of normal business hours. It’s an evolving situation, and it’ll be interesting to see how Google addresses these issues moving forward.
