What the checker looks for
- C2PA Content Credentials. The manifest store in a JPEG APP11 segment or a PNG caBX chunk, including the actions list and the software that created the file.
- IPTC digital source type. The field that says trainedAlgorithmicMedia or compositeWithTrainedAlgorithmicMedia, inside XMP or inside the C2PA manifest. This is the exact signal Meta describes.
- Generator traces. PNG text written by Stable Diffusion front-ends and ComfyUI, creator tool names in XMP, EXIF software fields and Midjourney job IDs in descriptions.
- Everything else. GPS, camera model, timestamps, thumbnails and comments, so you know what a file reveals even when no AI signal is present.
How to read the verdict
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| Verdict | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Will get an AI label | The file declares AI use through IPTC or C2PA. Meta, TikTok and Pinterest read this signal directly. | Strip the metadata, or re-encode if you also want new pixels. |
| May get an AI label | No standard declaration, but the metadata names a generator or contains a prompt. Some platforms also detect watermarks from those tools. | Strip the metadata. Expect that a watermark may still be detected. |
| Content Credentials, no AI claim | A C2PA record exists but does not declare AI, for example from a Leica camera or a plain Photoshop export. | Keep it if you want provenance. Strip it if you want privacy or no CR badge on LinkedIn. |
| No AI label found | Nothing in the metadata declares AI use. | Nothing to do for labels. You can still remove GPS and camera details. |
| Could not fully read | Part of the metadata is in a format the checker cannot parse yet. | Re-encode to get a clean copy regardless. |
What the checker cannot tell you
The checker reads what a file says about itself. It does not analyze the picture, it does not detect invisible watermarks such as SynthID, and it does not verify C2PA signatures. “No AI label found” means the file carries no declaration, not that the picture was made by a camera. “Will get an AI label” means a platform reading the same field will most likely act on it.
Questions people ask
Can the checker detect AI images that have no metadata?
No. It reads metadata only. Images that were screenshotted, re-saved by a chat app or uploaded to a platform that strips metadata will show “No AI label found” even if they were generated.
Does a C2PA record always mean AI?
No. Content Credentials record history from cameras, phones and editors as well. The checker only calls a file AI-declared when the digital source type says a trained algorithm was involved.
Are signatures verified?
No. The checker parses the manifest structure and reads the claims; it does not validate certificates or trust lists. To verify a signature, use the C2PA Verify tool from the Content Authenticity Initiative.
Why does my Photoshop export show “Will get an AI label”?
Generative Fill, Generative Expand and other Firefly-powered features write compositeWithTrainedAlgorithmicMedia into the file, often together with Content Credentials. Meta treats that as AI involvement even when the change was a tiny cleanup.