Google’s latest AI model, Gemini 2.0 Flash, is under scrutiny after users discovered its ability to remove watermarks from images, including those from major stock media platforms like Getty Images.
Gemini 2.0 Flash: A Powerful Yet Unrestricted AI Tool
Recently, Google expanded access to Gemini 2.0 Flash’s image generation and editing features. While designed to create and modify visual content seamlessly, concerns are rising over its lack of content moderation. Users on social media have demonstrated how the AI can effortlessly generate images featuring copyrighted characters and even strip watermarks from existing photos.
“New skill unlocked: Gemini 2 Flash model is really awesome at removing watermarks in images!” — @deedydas, March 15, 2025.
How Gemini 2.0 Flash Handles Watermark Removal
Beyond just erasing watermarks, Gemini 2.0 Flash goes a step further by intelligently filling in the areas where watermarks once existed, creating a seamless final image. While other AI tools offer similar capabilities, Google’s model appears to be exceptionally precise—and freely available.
“Gemini 2.0 Flash is amazing at editing images with simple text prompts. It can remove watermarks and even replaces them with its own!” — @tanayj, March 16, 2025.
Experimental Feature with Legal Implications
Currently, Gemini 2.0 Flash’s image generation tool is labeled as “experimental” and “not for production use”, accessible only via Google’s developer platform, AI Studio. However, it is not foolproof—some semi-transparent or extensive watermarks pose challenges for the AI.
Despite this limitation, copyright holders are alarmed by the tool’s potential misuse. Competing AI models, such as Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4o, have stricter ethical guardrails, explicitly refusing to remove watermarks. Claude even labels the act as “unethical and potentially illegal.”
The Legal and Ethical Debate
Under U.S. copyright law, removing a watermark without the owner’s consent is generally illegal, with only a few rare exceptions. Intellectual property experts argue that unrestricted AI tools like Gemini 2.0 Flash pose a significant risk to digital content creators and copyright holders.
At the time of writing, Google has not responded to requests for comments on the controversy. As AI-powered tools continue to evolve, regulatory discussions surrounding ethical AI use and copyright protection are expected to intensify.
