The prevalence of smartphone usage in today's society has led to the widespread adoption of digital editing tools for enhancing photos. These tools range from simple adjustments like color enhancement to more advanced features like modifying light levels. However, a new generation of smartphone tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) is raising questions about the authenticity of photographs. Google's latest smartphones, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, offer even more advanced AI features compared to other devices on the market. One notable feature is the ability to alter people's expressions in photographs. With machine learning technology, these phones can analyze your photos and combine expressions from past images to create the perfect picture. Google calls this feature "Best Take. " Additionally, these devices allow users to remove, move, or resize unwanted elements in photos using a feature called "Magic Editor. " This AI-based tool employs deep learning algorithms to analyze surrounding pixels and fill in the removed area with appropriate textures, based on knowledge derived from millions of other images. It's worth noting that these editing features can be applied not only to photos taken with the device but also to any pictures in the user's Google Photos library. However, the integration of AI technology in photography has sparked concerns among some observers. Tech commentators and reviewers have described Google's AI manipulation potential as "icky, " "creepy, " and "posing serious threats to people's trust in online content. " Andrew Pearsall, a professional photographer and senior lecturer in Journalism at the University of South Wales, warned of the dangers posed by AI manipulation, emphasizing the need for caution and consideration of ethical boundaries. He expressed concerns that the ability to instantly remove objects or manipulate images on a smartphone could lead to a world where reality becomes distorted.

Google's lead on camera systems, Isaac Reynolds, responded to these concerns in an interview with the BBC, stating that the company takes ethical considerations seriously. He clarified that features like Best Take are not "faking" anything but rather enhancing a representation of a moment. Reynolds emphasized that Google aims to provide users with good-looking images, which may not necessarily reflect reality but satisfy their desire for visually appealing photos. Professor Rafal Mantiuk from the University of Cambridge highlighted that smartphones, limited by their physical capabilities, rely on AI and machine learning to compensate for missing information in photos, aiming to produce visually pleasing images rather than purely realistic ones. While photo manipulation is not a new concept, the ease with which AI technology can augment reality is unprecedented. Samsung faced criticism earlier this year for its deep learning algorithms that enhanced photos of the Moon to the point where the resulting images did not accurately represent the original scene. Google, in response to these concerns, adds metadata to its photos to indicate when AI has been employed. Reynolds acknowledged the ongoing conversation about AI usage in photography and reiterated the company's commitment to listening to users' feedback. Despite the ethical considerations surrounding AI image manipulation, Professor Mantiuk emphasized that we should also acknowledge the limitations of our own visual perception. Our brains possess the remarkable ability to reconstruct and infer missing information, allowing us to perceive sharp and vibrant images. In a way, cameras that are criticized for "faking stuff" are merely emulating the brain's natural image processing capabilities, albeit in a different manner.