Apple’s new iPhone camera mode promises to prove your photo isn’t AI

Apple is introducing a new camera feature called 'Reference Image' for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro lineup. This feature uses the device's new camera sensor to digitally sign every pixel at the time of capture. The signed sensor data is then processed by Apple's Private Cloud Compute to create an unalterable reference image stored in the Photos app. This allows users to compare the original signed image with any later versions to detect edits or manipulation. The move is a response to the growing realism of AI-generated imagery, offering a hardware-based authentication method distinct from software-based labeling standards like SynthID and C2PA. A Reference Image API will be available to developers for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The feature will not be available at launch in the European Union due to regulatory reasons, but users there will be able to develop and view these images in future OS updates (iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27).

(Source：The Verge)