In my last blog, I talked about all the people currently losing their fucking minds over AI.

And my conclusion was pretty simple:

AI isn't going anywhere.

Go read that one here if you missed it.

Digital photography didn't disappear because photographers complained.

Photoshop didn't disappear.

Auto-Tune didn't disappear.

Social media didn't disappear.

And AI isn't going to disappear because somebody underneath an Instagram Reel typed:

“This is AI 😡”

😂

With that being said, if you're incorporating AI into your creative workflow, there's another thing worth understanding:

Metadata.

So, About Those “This Was AI Generated” Tags…

If you use AI, you've probably already seen some version of it.

“This was AI generated.”

“Made with AI.”

“AI-generated content.”

Those little “this was AI generated” tags you see on IG/TikTok/X and other platforms.

And that's actually what sent me down the metadata rabbit hole in the first place.

AI-generated files can carry information about how they were created or processed, and platforms can also use their own detection systems, embedded provenance signals, Content Credentials and platform policies when deciding whether something gets labeled.

So let me make one thing clear:

Removing basic EXIF metadata isn't a guaranteed “remove the AI label” button.

(It'll work 99.8% of the time, but I gotta write it like this or the insufferable AI “lawyers” are gonna have a field day. “Actually, Trey…” — yeah yeah yeah, STFU, it works. 😂 You can listen to the insufferable, or you can listen to the guy who's posted over 100 AI reels and not one has gotten a “generated by AI” tag. Your choice.)

But understanding what's attached to the files you're publishing — and removing unnecessary metadata before uploading them — is still something worth knowing how to do.

Your Files Can Carry More Information Than You Think

Images aren't necessarily just pixels.

Files can contain metadata describing things like the device used, timestamps, GPS information, editing software and other technical information.

And personally?

If information doesn't need to travel with something I'm publishing publicly, I'd rather clean it.

The Tool Is Stupid Simple

Go here:

EXIF Remover

Add your file.

Inspect what's attached to it.

Remove the unnecessary EXIF metadata.

Save the cleaned version.

That's basically it. 😂

No 47-step tutorial.

No $997 course.

Just a useful tool.

And Apparently I Need to Say This Too 😂

I don't care what your thoughts are about me using AI.

Trust me.

If you've read enough of my blogs, you already know I spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to understand why people think the way they do — even when I completely disagree with them.

I'd argue I'm probably more unbiased about this shit than a lot of the people screaming from either side.

Trust me. 😂

And being unbiased doesn't mean I think AI is perfect.

There's garbage AI content everywhere.

There are legitimate conversations about what AI means for creativity, jobs, copyright and everything else.

Cool.

We can acknowledge all of that.

But I can acknowledge the negatives of something without pretending the positives don't exist because I personally don't like it.

That's the difference.

Use AI. Don't Use AI. I Genuinely Don't Give a Fuck.

You wanna use AI?

Use AI.

You don't?

Don't.

Draw everything by hand.

Build everything from scratch.

Hire somebody.

Use Photoshop.

Use Canva.

Write your own code.

Use AI to help write the code.

Use a fucking pencil.

😂

Do whatever produces the result you want.

I'm interested in tools, ideas, execution and results.

I'm not interested in participating in some weird morality contest over which software somebody used to create a fucking Instagram post.

We are living in some of the greatest times in internet history and some people are just worried about the WRONG. SHIT.

AI Is Just Another Tool in My Toolbox

That's really how I see it.

Sometimes I use AI.

Sometimes I don't.

Sometimes doing something manually gives me more control.

Sometimes AI saves me hours.

Sometimes custom development makes more sense.

Sometimes the newest fancy tool is completely unnecessary.

Use the right tool for the job.

I'm not emotionally attached to making something harder just because that's how we used to do it.

And I'm definitely not going to stop experimenting with new technology because somebody in a comment section doesn't approve.

😂

That's probably the biggest difference.

I'm curious.

I like figuring out what shit does.

I like testing tools.

I like understanding what's happening underneath the surface.

And when I discover something useful?

I'm probably going to use that motherfucker too.

So if you're publishing AI-assisted content — or really any media you don't want carrying unnecessary metadata — this is another tool worth knowing:

EXIF Remover

Clean the file.

Understand what the tool does and doesn't do.

Publish your shit.

Keep moving.

AI isn't going anywhere. Neither is my curiosity. 😂