An industry-first, certified mark for verifying the authenticity of Tennessee's great outdoors and a promise to never use generative AI in place of real photography.
An industry-first, certified mark for verifying the authenticity of Tennessee's great outdoors and a promise to never use generative AI in place of real photography.
The campaign was inspired by the growing difficulty travelers face in distinguishing real photos from AI-generated ones. A survey revealed that only 5% of travelers could correctly identify real destination photos when compared to AI-generated images. Therefore Tennessee Tourism faced a growing challenge: ensure travelers could trust the authenticity of the imagery representing the state.
Every image requires content credentials and secure metadata so you know who, when, and what camera captured the photo. The seal lets you leave the wonder up to nature and connects you to the real Tennessee destination behind it.
We even collaborated with nature photographers in Tennessee to get the word out
j_kreiss I’m incredibly proud to be a part of this project with @tnvacation. As a nature photographer, everything I do is rooted in authenticity, sharing what I see through the lens in the realest way possible. Which is exactly what this idea is all about. Hope you enjoy some of the shots I took for this campaign. And believe me when I say, those views are even better in person.
We even created guidelines anyone could use to analyze new and existing photography to confirm each was captured by a real person and showcases genuine scenery.
Any AI-generated alteration that creates, adds or changes reality. This includes using AI to add elements that were not there or structural changes to geography, such as moving a mountain, adding a deer to a meadow or fall foliage to a summer photo.
Basic photo retouching that doesn't change the truth of the scene. This includes adjusting exposure, color or contrast to better match what the human eye saw. Sharpening, cropping or converting a photo to black and white. And lastly, basic cleanup like removing small dust spots.
Inspired by the real seal, other states made their pledge to certify their photography as real
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