Waterloo researchers create “UnMarker” tool that can remove any AI image watermark, highlighting continuing dangers of deepfakes.
Waterloo researchers create “UnMarker” tool that can remove any AI image watermark, highlighting continuing dangers of deepfakes
New research from the University of Waterloo’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute demonstrates that any artificial intelligence (AI) image watermark can be removed, without the attacker needing to know the design of the watermark, or even whether an image is watermarked to begin with.
As AI-generated images and videos became more realistic, citizens and legislators are increasingly concerned about the potential impact of “deepfakes” across politics, the legal system and everyday life.
“People want a way to verify what’s real and what’s not because the damages will be huge if we can’t,” said Andre Kassis, a PhD candidate in computer science and the lead author on the research. “From political smear campaigns to non-consensual pornography, this technology could have terrible and wide-reaching consequences.”
Read More: University of Waterloo
