Claude Will Put Invisible Watermarks On AI Text And Images—And The Internet Isn’t Happy Anthropic, the company behind the Claude AI model, has announced a new policy to embed invisible watermarks into text and images generated by its AI systems. The move, which was revealed on Tuesday, aims to comply with European Union regulations requiring transparency about AI-generated content. Under the policy, all text and media produced by Claude will carry embedded watermarks that are designed to persist even when the content is copied, pasted, or shared elsewhere. Additionally, files created by the AI, including images, will include digitally signed metadata to indicate their origin. However, the implementation details remain unclear, with Anthropic stating it will provide further guidance on how to identify the watermarks. The company also warned that the watermarks may not be foolproof, as they could be erased if text undergoes heavy editing or if a file’s metadata is lost due to format changes, screenshots, or other factors. The policy, which users cannot opt out of, will apply to all Claude models and products globally, including specialized tools like Claude Code and Claude Cowork. The announcement has sparked significant backlash from users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, where many have criticized the move as intrusive and unnecessary. Some users argue that the watermarking system undermines the value of their work, particularly those who use Claude for tasks like proofreading or coding. For example, radio show host and blogger Erick Erickson expressed frustration on X, stating that he had switched from Grammarly to Claude for its superior proofreading capabilities but now faces the risk of his work being marked as AI-generated.#anthropic #claude_ai #openai #eu_regulations #erick_erickson
