{"rewrite":{"id":"r_56a77ba1efb0d79f72568026","clusterId":"c_e7dbc8795b86cad91105d806","slug":"microsoft-paint-and-photos-embed-invisible-watermarks-in-ai-images","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Microsoft Paint and Photos Embed Invisible Watermarks in AI Images","summary":"Software developer and security researcher Xusheng Li found that AI image generation in Microsoft Paint and AI editing in Microsoft Photos send prompts to a remote server for moderation, which returns a GUID embedded as an invisible watermark. This happens even on Copilot+ PCs where generation works locally.","whyItMatters":"The invisible watermark and remote moderation are not explained in Microsoft's stated C2PA manifest disclosure, raising a transparency gap in how AI-generated images are identified.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eMicrosoft\u0026#39;s C2PA manifest explanation covers AI image identification, but it omits that the manifest carries a GUID received from a remote server, even when generation happens locally. Li\u0026#39;s investigation showed prompt moderation is the trigger, and the watermark stays hidden unless the optional Copilot logo display is enabled.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Researcher finds Microsoft Paint and Photos embed server-issued GUIDs as invisible watermarks in AI images, even for local generation. Microsoft explains C2PA but not the hidden GUID or remote moderation.","twitterPost":"Xusheng Li found Microsoft Paint and Photos embed server-issued GUIDs as invisible watermarks in AI images, even for local generation. Microsoft explains C2PA but not the hidden GUID or remote moderation.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Security researcher Xusheng Li discovered that AI features in Microsoft Paint and Photos embed a server-issued GUID as an invisible watermark. Even on Copilot+ PCs where generation runs locally, prompts are moderated remotely. Microsoft explains the C2PA manifest but not the hidden GUID.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"GIGAZINE\",\"url\":\"https://gigazine.net/news/20260825-microsoft-embed-invisible-watermarks/\",\"title\":\"Windows Paint and Microsoft Photos AI-Generated Images Found to Have Invisible Watermarks Embedded\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4612,"outputTokens":427,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1788006113,"createdAt":"2026-08-29T12:16:07.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-29T12:16:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-29T12:16:07.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_e7dbc8795b86cad91105d806","canonicalTitle":"WindowsのペイントやMicrosoftフォトのAI生成画像に電子透かしが埋め込まれていることが判明","representativeArticleId":"a_3f57f7bbca1c37d5bf41ab04","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"other\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-25T14:42:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-25T14:42:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-29T12:16:46.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"GIGAZINE","url":"https://gigazine.net/news/20260825-microsoft-embed-invisible-watermarks/","title":"WindowsのペイントやMicrosoftフォトのAI生成画像に電子透かしが埋め込まれていることが判明"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"news","domain":"other","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}