News

MIT’s “PhotoGuard” Protects Images From Unauthorized AI Edits

The technology invisibly alters select pixels to throw off algorithmic AI models.

Published

9 months ago

July 25, 2023

Nour Nasir

mit's photoguard protects images from unauthorized ai edits

MIT CSAIL

As AI continues to develop rapidly, chatbots are gaining the power to create and manipulate images, with Shutterstock and Adobe currently leading the way. Despite the obvious power of AI algorithms, the technology has a few pitfalls, one of which is the unauthorized manipulation of copyrighted artwork and images.

MIT CSAIL thinks it has the answer to this growing problem in the form of PhotoGuard, a new technique that alters select pixels in an image to disrupt AI’s ability to understand what the image is.

The altered pixels are known as “perturbations” and are invisible to the human eye but easily seen by AI bots as they scan the color and position of every pixel in an image. Any edits AI tries to make to a protected image will also apply to the fake pixels, resulting in an unrealistic or broken final image, thanks to PhotoGuard.

Also Read: PicSo Review: A Popular AI-Based Text-To-Image App

“The encoder attack makes the model think that the input image is some other image,” explained MIT student and lead author of the paper, Hadi Salman. “Whereas the diffusion attack forces the diffusion model to make edits towards some target image”. The technique sounds complex but could potentially stop malicious actors from reverse engineering protected images by adding minor edits to circumvent copyright.

“A collaborative approach involving model developers, social media platforms, and policymakers presents a robust defense against unauthorized image manipulation. Working on this pressing issue is of paramount importance today,” Salman said in a recent press release. “And while I am glad to contribute towards this solution, much work is needed to make this protection practical. Companies that develop these models need to invest in engineering robust immunizations against the possible threats posed by these AI tools”.

News

Samsung Galaxy Ring Wearable Will Launch In Eight Sizes

A recent Korean report reveals the model numbers of the new health tracking device, as well as details of its key features.

Published

4 days ago

April 25, 2024

Nour Nasir

samsung galaxy ring wearable will launch in eight sizes

The global launch of the Samsung Galaxy Ring is hotly anticipated, with details about the next-gen wearable gradually emerging since the company’s teaser announcement back in January. Now, a report has also unveiled the model numbers for the device, suggesting it will be available in eight different sizes.

While Samsung has yet to divulge detailed specs and features of the Galaxy Ring, it’s likely to feature an array of health and sleep monitoring functionalities, while boasting a battery life of up to nine days on a single charge.

As per a Galaxy Club report, there are currently eight confirmed variants of the Galaxy Ring: SM-Q500, SM-Q501, SM-Q502, SM-Q505, SM-Q506, SM-Q507, SM-Q508, and SM-Q509.

However, the mystery shrouding two absent model numbers persists, leaving speculation as to whether they signify additional sizes or if Samsung plans to unveil a later ninth variant of the ring, as previously hinted. There’s conjecture that these models may correspond to US ring sizes 5 and above, commencing with the SMQ500, with subsequent numbers potentially indicating larger ring sizes, possibly reaching up to size 13, aligning with model number SM-Q509.

Also Read: Adobe Reveals New AI Tools That Will Wow Photoshop Novices

Recent Korean reports have shed light on how Samsung’s Mobile eXperience division (MX) collaborated with the Home Appliance department to integrate Samsung Food with the Galaxy Ring: Tailored for daily activity tracking, the Galaxy Ring, when paired with Samsung Food and an intelligent Samsung refrigerator featuring AI vision, delivers personalized dietary guidance based on calorie intake and BMI.

Samsung is banking on the user-friendly interface and high durability of the ring to redefine the healthcare wearables landscape. Meanwhile, Apple is also making strides in the development of a smart ring, aimed at monitoring users’ health biometrics discreetly when worn on the finger. According to the Electronic Times report, Apple has been closely monitoring market interest in this more inconspicuous alternative to a traditional watch.