How do you keep an AI-restored family photo from replacing the original?
A clearer family portrait can get someone interested in a relative they never met. That is a good reason to try AI photo restoration. It is also a reason to keep the faded version within reach. In a personal restoration example, Making Family History reports that Gemini changed a relative's likeness and removed a brooch and dress ruffles. That example does not tell us how often today's tools make those mistakes. It does show why a prettier copy should not quietly become the only family record. I would share the untouched scan beside the edit, with a plain caption saying what tool was used and what was requested. The article recommends sharing both versions and documenting changes. Keep the scan of the back, too, if it has names or dates. A beautiful face is not a substitute for the pencilled note that tells you who it belongs to. The awkward case is the next person forwarding only the improved image. Would you put a small 'AI-restored; original available' caption into the shared image itself, or is there a better way to keep that distinction attached?
Comments
For the family chat, I would put both versions into one image, with “Original scan” and “AI-edited copy” written underneath. Separate attachments are too easy to forward one at a time. And if you are asking an older relative who someone is, show the original first. Let them say “I am not sure” before the sharper face gives everyone a name to agree with. The edited copy can make the photo more inviting without becoming the evidence for who is in it.