The IPTC Photo Metadata Working Group has proposed a draft set of properties for recording details of AI-generated images.

The suggested metadata fields would be added to the next version of the IPTC Photo Metadata Standard to be published in November of this year.

The IPTC is a global standards body for the news media. The IPTC Photo Metadata Standard is a widely used protocol for describing photos and is employed by news agencies, photographers, libraries, museums and other image-intensive sectors.

The new additions would address questions about what AI system or models were employed to generate an image and what original prompts or references were used as a starting point. The new properties would be AI Model, AI Text Prompt Description, AI Prompt Writer Name, and Reference Image(s).

The new descriptors would be optional, but the IPTC would recommend AI engines provide them when possible. Before being accepted, the properties must be approved by IPTC member organizations at the group’s Autumn Meeting in October.

What IS photo metadata? Read this IPTC explainer.