The photo of Kate Middleton and her family released by the palace was not generated by AI as many believed. Instead, it was shot on a Canon 5D Mark 4 camera and edited using Photoshop on a Mac. This incident highlights the evolving definition of a photograph in the digital age. With smartphones creating composites of multiple images, the authenticity of a photo is often questionable, as most images are now a product of generative AI experiences.
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban TikTok if its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, doesn’t sell it off. We talk about why, what happens next, and how likely it is that the app will be banned. Then, how a photoshopped image of Kate Middleton undermines trust in photography. And finally, a new report reveals how your car may be tracking you without your knowledge — and how that might raise your insurance bill.
Today’s guest:
- Kashmir Hill, features writer at The New York Times
Additional Reading:
We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com.
Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok.