Adobe's Project 'Know How' Aims to Protect Creators and Combat Misinformation

Key Takeaways

Adobe has unveiled a tool in development that could ensure proper credit for artists.

Project 'Know How' uses Adobe’s Content Credentials technology to establish ownership of images and videos across online platforms.

This tool was demonstrated during Adobe Max's Sneaks segment, showcasing its ability to identify content owners.

During Adobe Max's recent Sneaks segment, Adobe introduced Project 'Know How,' an innovative tool designed to help creators get recognized for their work, whether it’s online or even on physical objects like printed materials.

The Verge witnessed a demo of the tool, where it displayed how Adobe’s Content Credentials technology can embed digital tags into images, even when captured on objects like texture-rich tote bags using a camera.

Adobe’s Content Credentials not only tags content with metadata identifying its creator but also detects if content has been altered or used in different online contexts, including those involving AI-generated modifications.

By applying Content Credentials, creators can prove ownership of their images or videos, even if other identifying information has been removed or altered.

It’s important to note that Project 'Know How' may not be released commercially in its current form. However, Adobe's focus on enhancing Content Credentials suggests that these features could become available in some capacity in the future, addressing issues of misinformation and ownership rights in the AI era.

In today’s social media landscape, artists often find their work shared without proper credit on platforms like Instagram or Pinterest. The potential of Project 'Know How' offers reassurance to creators, empowering them to assert ownership in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Project Know How's Potential Against Misinformation

Adobe highlights that Project 'Know How' could also play a crucial role in combating misinformation, particularly by identifying original videos that have been edited or taken out of context.

This capability is particularly significant in contexts such as elections, where manipulated videos can be used to spread misleading information. Adobe reports that local governments are already considering adopting Content Credentials to address these challenges.

Adobe's Efforts to Regain Trust Among Creatives

The unveiling of Project 'Know How' and Adobe's emphasis on Content Credentials are part of a broader effort to rebuild trust with creative professionals. This initiative follows recent criticisms of Adobe's subscription models and the promotion of AI-generated features.

In addition to Project 'Know How,' Adobe is launching a free Content Authenticity web app in early 2025, available to anyone with a free Adobe account. This app will add attribution data to images and videos, allowing creators to control how their work is used in training AI models. It will also feature an Inspect tool to verify if content has been authenticated and to track its editing history.

Furthermore, Adobe recently released a Content Authenticity extension for Google Chrome on October 8th, enabling users to inspect the credentials of content on any webpage.

These efforts demonstrate Adobe's commitment to enhancing transparency and protecting the rights of creators in an increasingly digital and complex media landscape.