Amid growing concerns over the source and authenticity of content generated by generative AI systems, a report by EY and FICCI on Thursday emphasised the need for developing advanced watermarking techniques to distinguish between AI-generated and human-generated material.
This issue has gained importance as AI-generated text, images, videos and audio are increasingly associated with deepfakes, copyright infringements, fake news, social manipulation, false attribution and challenges in content detection. Watermarking could also help users identify the source of information produced by generative AI models.
“Watermarking is a key solution that enables developers to encrypt watermarks, providing better detection and authenticity of AI-generated content. Robust watermarking must resist tampering, and detection systems should maintain low false-positive rates while functioning across different Gen AI platforms,” said Rajnish Gupta, partner in the tax and economic policy group at EY India. “India aims to lead in this area by promoting the development and adoption of advanced watermarking techniques to ensure secure and authentic AI content creation,” Gupta added.
The report highlights that implementing watermarking solutions will be essential for building trust in the future digital economy and the broader AI landscape. Watermarking can create an ecosystem of accountability, transparency, and reliability, fostering trust in AI systems.
Governments around the world are beginning to recognise the potential of watermarking technologies. Similarly, India can play a pivotal role in shaping a secure, transparent and trustworthy domestic digital ecosystem, the report noted.
“As generative AI reshapes the digital landscape, we as a nation must come together and establish robust safeguards to trace content origins, ensuring transparency and trust in the AI-driven world. Let us lead with responsibility for a secure and innovative future,” said Jyoti Vij, director general at FICCI.
The report also called for strengthening frameworks both in India and globally to ensure legal recognition and governance for digital watermarks across jurisdictions. It urged consideration of ethical implications, aiming to strike a balance between protecting content and respecting individual privacy.
