Signal From Forensics to Ecosystems: Rethinking Watermarks for Generative AI Oversight

Summary

This arXiv preprint argues for reframing digital watermarking of AI-generated content from a purely forensic, post-hoc detection tool into a broader ecosystem governance tool. The authors note a persistent gap between the enthusiasm regulators have shown for watermarking and the skepticism expressed by researchers regarding its technical robustness. They situate watermarking within the broader governance questions raised by cheap, widely accessible generative AI services and the wave of synthetic content they have unleashed, which has provoked epistemic and social anxieties. The paper reconsiders the technical and conceptual foundations that underlie content-labeling and provenance regulatory requirements. It was posted to arXiv's cs.CY category on 2026-08-07.