Two years ago, Apple was wary of AI photo editing tools, fearing they might warp our perception of reality. Now, at WWDC 2026, it’s unveiled a suite of new AI-powered photo editors that let users dream up scenes with remarkable ease.

Their latest app, Image Playground, can generate images in photorealistic style and modify existing ones through natural language prompts or simple taps. Yet, Apple won’t leave us completely in the dark about these creations. SynthID watermarks will tag AI-generated content to help distinguish between real and fake photos.

But what does this mean for our trust in photography? Clean Up and Extend tools now allow users to tweak images with more realism, even when dealing with complex scenes. Spatial Reframing enables users to alter the perspective of their photos, but with a warning: consistency comes at the cost of authenticity.

The use of AI watermarks is a step towards transparency, yet it still leaves room for doubts. If these innovations become widespread, will we ever be able to trust our eyes—or shoulders—again?