Google’s AI photo editing tools make me uncomfortable

More than a year ago, Google introduced the Magic Editor, and some of us here at Android Authority were… discouraged. We photo purists lamented the loss of authenticity and the dangers of quick photo editing becoming mainstream. We voiced our concerns about the potential of an AI-powered future. Now that the Google Pixel 9 is here with its host of new photo editing tools, that future is here, and I feel deeply uneasy.

To be completely honest, I am an avid fan of photography. I have a closet full of cameras and a coffee table full of books by my favorite professional photographers. I even dressed up as Ansel Adams for history class in elementary school. Nothing gives me more joy than taking that perfect, spontaneous photo of a loved one.

The latest family of Google Pixel phones boasts some of the best camera specs in the industry, which theoretically means users can capture even more incredible, realistic images. Improved specs mean memories can be catalogued in more detail and accuracy than ever before, a win for photo enthusiasts and new moms everywhere. But before you can celebrate the cameras’ capabilities, Google is giving you ways to edit the photos you take right on the device, altering the reality you capture before the proverbial ink is even dry.

I never want to be a bore when it comes to technology, but photography is meant to capture moments, not create fake ones. Google’s latest version encourages users to feel the opposite by expanding the capabilities of the Magic Editor with new features like Auto-Frame and Reimagine.

For me, Reimagine is the biggest offender. It allows users to enter any prompt into the editor and completely change the background of a photo using generative AI. I thought previous tools that let you reconfigure the subject or remove details were bad enough. While photo manipulation has always been possible (and is probably more common than I’d like to admit), there’s a real danger of such extreme capabilities becoming mainstream.

Retouching is one thing, but a complete change in reality pains me deeply. With a few taps on a Pixel 9, I can now edit a photo and change my location, appearance, and even who is with me in a matter of minutes. In the past, we relied on photo evidence; now, I can’t trust a single photo unless I personally know the source. This isn’t just about catfishing or false narratives; it’s about the nature of photography in general and the diminishing power of a photo as truth.

A photograph is a snapshot in time. It has never been a perfect reflection of reality; lighting, focus and shutter speed, not to mention the word “cheese,” are all tools used to stylize reality. With Google’s new tools, we can still snap a spontaneous photo, hang it on the wall and know it’s real. Unfortunately, everyone else will have some doubt about its authenticity.

Added to that, many of us are inevitably getting worse at taking photos because it’s too easy to settle for bad photos. As cranky as it may sound, this is one of the bigger issues I have with AI-generated photo editing (and rough editing in general). Google’s newest feature, Auto-Frame, now recomposes your photo using best practices to make the subject stand out. It can even generate additional content to augment your image.

When film and development processes limited us, we took photos with much more intention. I really feel like we’re losing the art of framing moments. Even with the advent of digital cameras, it’s become more common to take a spray-and-pray approach (shoot a ton of pictures and hope one turns out well).

Today we can take a large number of photos and have the tools to edit them. I see the consequences of this in the photos that friends and family ask me to edit after their holidays or trips. Often they want to remove a passerby, a distraction in the background or something inappropriate in the foreground of the image. I don’t mind this request and understand that one wants to have images that match their idealised memories, but often editing could have been avoided by waiting until the stranger had passed or turning the camera away from the trash can.

Likewise, I am often asked to undertake photo editing that requires a high standard, such as cleaning up wedding photos and preparing images for framed prints. Quick fix tools create the misconception that professional edits are just as easy. This is not the case, and relying on post-production corrections should not be the standard expectation anyway. Again, the existence of one-click corrections results in photos being taken with less discipline and less consideration for imperfections, as these can simply be corrected later.

Another new feature Google is excited to introduce to Pixel users is “Add Me,” which combines consecutive images of the same scenario so no one is left out of a group photo. In other words, you take a photo of two friends, then swap the images, and the photos automatically combine two shots into one image with everyone in the frame. Combined with “Best Take,” which Google introduced last year, this tool has the potential to optimize group photos.

As a deeply introverted person, this feature is my personal nightmare. As mentioned, I love photography, but I prefer to hide behind the lens rather than pose in front of it. The idea that I can’t easily escape an impromptu photo shoot by simply offering to take the photo makes me shudder.

To be honest, I do recognize the benefits of “Add Me.” My dad, the family photographer, barely features in our albums. I’ve also been on many trips with friends where we’ve spent most of the evening strapping someone’s phone to a mantel or chair to get a solid group photo. I just don’t like having yet another way to fake a snap that was never actually taken. And I resent the added pressure of looking presentable just in case.