Over the past half-decade, there has been a significant and dramatic enhancement in the capabilities of smartphone cameras. This considerable increase in quality has come as a result primarily of advancements in the realm of computational photography, a field of technology utilizing algorithms, machine learning, and advanced sensors to produce vibrant and vivid images that closely mimic reality. Nowadays, virtually anyone can take fantastic photos that can potentially rival those snapped by professionals. However, the future could potentially bring more artificial images to the world of smartphone photography.

The renowned tech company Google, a long-standing industry leader in mobile photography, will release its newest smartphone, the Pixel 8, this Thursday. The device comes with an arsenal of artificial intelligence powered photo-editing tools, making the phone even better equipped to alter not only the typical aspects of a photo, like brightness and clarity, but also to generate or eliminate elements in the photos using AI capabilities to manufacture the perfect shot.

For instance, if a photo was taken where a portion of a subject’s shoulder was clipped off, Google’s software features a ‘Magic Editor button’ that you can tap. This function allows you to adjust the individual's location within the frame, and the AI will generate the remainder of the shoulder area. Similarly, imagine a situation where you took a picture of a friend in front of a famous landmark, but there are unwanted tourists in the backdrop. With the same editing tool, you have the capability to point out the photo bombers and erase them in a snap. Within seconds, they disappear, and Google's AI generates site-specific imagery to fill up the empty space in the image.

Google has integrated these revolutionary AI photo-editing tools into Google Photos, its freely accessible photo album app available for Android devices and iPhones, which currently boasts more than one billion users worldwide. Furthermore, the company stated that Pixel 8 is the first device equipped with the AI photo editor, suggesting that we might soon see this technology on other devices, too.

The applicability of Google's AI-based photo editor is a part of a new trend known as 'generative AI', which gained its popularity mainly after the release of the conversational AI, ChatGPT, which generates human-like text responses to user prompts. The recent surge in popularity of image-based generative AI tools, which enable users to generate images by merely feeding in a prompt, exemplifies this trend. The Pixel 8 signifies a milestone in this development as it is the first mainstream mobile device to incorporate generative AI directly into the photographic process at no additional cost.

Yet, there raises a new question. With this continuous drive towards artificial and automated image-generation technology, can we continue to trust the authenticity of these images, especially when they are from our closed ones? Ren Ng, an established professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, made his viewpoints clear on this matter. He stated that this integration of AI into everyday photography is altering the very nature and purpose of photography, and this could lead to a future where people increasingly question the genuineness of their photos.

In a test involving the Pixel 8, I took and edited various photos to review. The results were a mixed bag, and it got me thinking about the implications of this technology. Interestingly, and somewhat worryingly, artificially manipulating elements or completely constructing new ones with the aid of AI seemed to cross a line, turning the resulting photo into something entirely artificial. As we move forward in the world of technology, it's crucial to consider the ethical implications of generating artificial images and the impact it could have on the spread of false visuals and misinformation online. Indeed, it's a significant responsibility to use this generative photographic technology judiciously, now more so than ever, with it being conveniently available on our smartphones.