Google lets users remove AI watermarks

Google will let users remove visible watermarks from AI-generated images and videos, the company said on August 14, 2026. The option will cover the Nano Banana, Omni and Lyria models, which display a sparkle icon to indicate AI involvement, and will later extend to Gemini and the Flow video editor.

The setting will be available in most regions, but not where laws require watermarks to remain. Google Vice President Josh Woodward said the feature is rolling out "except in countries where it's required by law to keep them," citing European Union AI transparency rules that mandate visible watermarks on authentic-looking deepfakes. South Korea introduced a similar requirement in 2026.

Visible watermarks help people quickly spot AI-generated content, but they can interfere with creative work. Woodward described the move as "striking a balance here between creative control and safety." Invisible protections remain: the SynthID watermark and C2PA metadata cannot be turned off, though checking them requires extra steps like asking a chatbot or uploading a file to a portal.

Suno introduced transparency tools that show when a song is AI-generated on other platforms. Anthropic added invisible C2PA-based watermarks to text and files generated by Claude to comply with EU regulations.