The checker shows what is in the image file: whether an AI provider marked it with Content Credentials (C2PA) or the IPTC note “trainedAlgorithmicMedia”, whether a generator left prompt data, and which software EXIF names. It is not an AI detector: if the traces are missing, that does not prove the image is real.
What the checker finds
| Trace | What it means | Who writes it |
|---|---|---|
| Content Credentials (C2PA) | Signed provenance record with generator and source type | e.g. OpenAI, Adobe Firefly, many cameras and editors |
| IPTC Digital Source Type | trainedAlgorithmicMedia = created with generative AI, compositeWithTrainedAlgorithmicMedia = edited with AI | Generators, editors; Google requires it in Merchant Center |
| IPTC 2025.1 | “AI System Used” and version | newer tools |
| PNG text chunks | Prompt, seed, model | Stable Diffusion, ComfyUI, NovelAI, InvokeAI |
| EXIF Software | The program that last saved the file | Cameras, apps, editors |
For an overview of which generator leaves which traces, see how to spot AI generators.
Why missing traces prove nothing
Metadata is easily lost: through screenshots, background removal, exports from editors, and uploads to many stores and social networks. According to reports in the Shopify community, the Shopify CDN also strips IPTC data from delivered images. In addition, AI providers whose systems were placed on the market before 2 August 2026 may deliver output without machine-readable marking until 2 December 2026 (Article 111(4) AI Act as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744). Invisible watermarks such as SynthID cannot be checked in the browser.
What this means for labelling
Machine-readable marking is the AI provider's job (Article 50(2)). Whoever uses the image in a store must, independently, label it visibly if it is a deep fake (Article 50(4)). The provider's marking does not count for that (guidelines para. 117). A finding in the checker shows that AI was involved; whether a label is needed is answered by the labelling check. Never remove existing markings: the Code of Practice and Google Merchant Center require keeping them.
Privacy
Files are only read in your browser; nothing is transmitted. If a photo contains GPS coordinates, the checker warns you: anyone who receives the image can see where it was taken.
Frequently asked questions
Can you tell whether an image was made with AI?
Only if the file says so. The checker reads Content Credentials, the IPTC note and generator data. If these traces are missing, the image can still be AI-generated. Pixel-based AI detectors give probabilities and make mistakes, which is why ai-label.app does not offer one.
What does trainedAlgorithmicMedia mean?
It is the IPTC value for “created using generative AI”. compositeWithTrainedAlgorithmicMedia stands for a photo edited with generative AI, for example by inpainting or outpainting. Google Merchant Center requires the note for AI product images.
Does the tool verify the C2PA signature?
No. It reads the manifest (generator, certificate, source type, actions) but does not verify the signature against the C2PA trust list, and says so. For signature checks there is, for example, contentcredentials.org/verify.
Are my images uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Once loaded, the page even works offline.
May I delete AI metadata from my images?
We advise against it. The Code of Practice provides for keeping markings, and Google Merchant Center explicitly forbids removing the IPTC note. In China and India, removing AI markings is prohibited by law. ai-label.app offers no tool for it.
Sources
All sources read in full. Paragraph numbers (para.) refer to the European Commission's guidelines on Article 50, C(2026) 5054.
- IPTC NewsCodes: Digital Source TypeIPTC · Standard · 23 Oct 2024
- C2PA Technical Specification 2.2Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity · Standard · 1 May 2025
- Google Search Central: image metadata (IPTC, C2PA)Google · Platform · 10 Dec 2025
- Google Merchant Center: AI-generated contentGoogle · Platform · 3 Oct 2026
- Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI)EUR-Lex · Law · 24 Jul 2026
- Commission Guidelines on the transparency obligations under Article 50 AI Act, C(2026) 5054 finalEuropäische Kommission · Commission · 20 Jul 2026
- Shopify Community: CDN stripping IPTC metadataShopify Community · Platform · 4 Sept 2026
Not legal advice. This content explains the law based on primary sources; it does not replace an assessment of your individual case.
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