In response to the chaos of AI fake images, Taobao officially issued new regulations today, strictly prohibiting the use of AI and other technical synthesis methods to present significantly distorted and inconsistent product information renderings, infringing on consumers' right to know and misleading consumers.

(Taobao Tmall updates the interpretation of the rule of "product pictures are not distorted")

It is reported that this is the first time that an e-commerce platform has issued regulations and corresponding restraints against AI fake images. At the same time, Taobao also issued an initiative to the whole industry to standardize the use of AI-generated images, ensure the authenticity of product information, and join the comprehensive governance of AI fake images.

  今年以來，國家屢次對AI造假等現象發聲。3月，四部門聯合發佈《人工智慧生成合成內容標識辦法》，該方案將於9月實施。2月，中央網信辦消息，2025年“清朗”系列專項行動將重點整治8類行為，打擊AI技術濫用等被包括在內。

With the rapid development of AI technology, some e-commerce merchants have begun to use AI to generate product pictures and videos, many of which are distorted and faked. In some e-commerce platforms, the flood of fake product pictures and videos through AI has gradually accumulated into one of the industry's stubborn diseases, which not only seriously affects the rights and interests of consumers, but also further reduces the cost of cross-platform copying and stealing pictures by unscrupulous merchants, infringes on the legitimate interests of original brands and merchants, and deteriorates the industry environment.

On some social platforms, many consumers posted complaints about the rampant "photo fraud" on some e-commerce platforms, relying on AI fake pictures and low prices to attract orders, but found that "the goods are not right". Some use AI to generate non-existent "dream plants" to trick consumers into placing orders; Some use AI to generate models and clothing, and everything from people to goods is fake. It looks like silk, and when it comes to hand, it's a rag.

(Common AI fake images in online shopping)

Some opportunistic merchants can easily steal pictures of their peers and even "copy" entire stores with the help of AI technology, which makes the situation of original merchants who were originally suffering from "copying" infringement even worse, and intensifies the vicious competition in the industry. Some merchants complain that their product pictures are hung on other people's shelves after being simply retouched by AI, and some even just change the background of the model and put it on the shelves "in its original form".

The relevant person in charge of Taobao said that the platform encourages the exploration of AI applications, but requires appropriate picture retouching, no distortion, and too heavy filters. The development and use of AI should improve consumer experience, promote originality, and protect the rights and interests of legitimate merchants, rather than becoming a tool for illegal profits in the black and gray industry. "AI may not have a value judgment, but AI consumers must have a judgment, and the platform must have a value orientation."

Taobao Tmall's upgraded product specifications identify typical scenarios of AI fake images, including "incorrect goods" due to inconsistent product materials or styles, distorted or exaggerated effects of products, obvious cutout textures, and human bodies and scenes that violate physical laws. At the same time, Taobao has launched an online identification model and adopted a number of measures such as "source interception", "stock cleanup" and "identification reminder" to carry out comprehensive governance.

  據悉，接入AI假圖識別模型后，淘寶已累計攔截近10萬張AI假圖。此外，商品詳情頁還將上線AI合成提示標識，保障消費者知情權。新規上線意味著打擊AI假圖納入體系化平臺治理範疇，AI虛假商品圖片有望在淘寶受到有效遏制，而試圖依靠AI盜圖走捷徑的不良商家，也很難找到生存空間。

According to public reports, since the beginning of this year, in addition to the governance of AI fake pictures, Taobao has successively introduced a series of governance measures to point at the malice of the wool party, malicious store groups and other e-commerce industry shortcomings. At the beginning of this month, Taobao Apparel also released a new strategy to fully support originality. These initiatives are intended to reshape a quality business environment.

Chen Lifen, a researcher at the Institute of Market Economy of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said that Taobao and other e-commerce platforms have strengthened industry self-discipline, formulated governance rules to combat AI fake images, and set an example in AI for good, which is conducive to creating a good industry competition ecology and optimizing the consumption environment. Chen Lifen believes that AI has great potential in broadening consumption scenarios and improving consumer experience, and it is necessary to promote innovative applications of AI, empower the development of quality e-commerce, and strengthen the platform's supervision responsibility for AI live broadcast and AI-generated content to protect the rights and interests of consumers.

"The head e-commerce platform should be more responsible and responsible, lead the industry to self-discipline and norms, promote the formation of a joint force of the whole industry, and explore the healthy and sustainable development path of e-commerce in the AI era." Chen Lifen said.