A Deceptive AI Image in Sony Photography awards

Maaz Khurram
May 1, 2023

A Deceptive AI Image won and fooled many eyes in Sony Photography awards

Artificial intelligence has moved the world by storm, it revolutionizes every creative asset that requires a human hand. Recently the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been widely debated, many question its appropriateness and utility in various fields from song and essay writing to driverless cars and chatbot therapists. This topic focus has shifted to its impact on photography, particularly deep fakes.Photography has always been a form of art that captures the essence of the world and its people. It is an art form that captures moments, emotions, and memories that will last a lifetime. However, what happens when technology blurs the lines between reality and artificiality in photography? The question arises from Boris Eldagsen’s recent win at the Sony World Photography Awards. The issue came when Boris Eldagsen, a German artist, won the Sony World Photography Awards for an image he co-created using AI. The World Photography Organisation, the photography strand of art events organizers Creo, confirmed that Eldagsen had discussed the AI generators and his interest in their creative possibilities. However, they also stated that the image heavily relied on his wealth of photographic knowledge.

AI Generatred Image won sony photography award Eldagsen submitted that, according to the organizers, it fully satisfied the criteria for the creative category. They acknowledged the significance of the topic and its influence on contemporary image-making. They emphasized, however, that the awards had always served as a venue for showcasing the talent and excellence of photographers and artists who worked in the field.

On the other hand, Eldagsen had wanted to speak honestly about the matter in public from the beginning of the awarding procedure. He has also suggested giving the prize to a photography event in Odesa, Ukraine. However, the organizers stopped working with him and disqualified him from the competition.

Since an AI-generated image won a US state art competition in September, there has been a heated controversy surrounding this incident. Photographers and painters who could previously point out the defects in AI-generated photos are finding it hard to identify the difference as technology’s strength is continuously growing.

The Association of Photographers’ president, Tim Flach, was shocked at how easy it was to generate an AI image of a tiger that closely resembled a photo he had had to step into the cage to capture. A photography student, who spoke to the media, worried whether his planned career would still exist in a few years.

Many artists and photographers accuse AI systems of unfairly exploiting the works of hundreds of thousands of human creators on which the systems trained. Some have even launched legal action. But others regard AI as just another tool, a new category of art perhaps, but no less valuable.

The issue of who owns the copyright for an AI image remains unclear, as do the raft of ethical and legal questions that have arisen with the use of AI.

Photographer and blogger Feroz Khan took an interest in how the event unfolded. He mentioned that he did not blame Eldagsen for saying, “There is a problem here in the photography industry”. Khan appreciated Eldagsen for wanting a distinction in photo contests, and while he entered an AI image into the competition, he didn’t seem to be out to defraud anyone. Eldagsen wanted to highlight an issue that needs more attention.

The Eldagsen event and the discussion it provoked have made it evident how important it is to comprehend how AI will affect photography. At first sight, it is becoming difficult to tell the difference between photographs and AI-generated images, and until the problem is fixed completely, it will get terrible.

While some artists and photographers regard AI as another tool, others perceive it as a threat to their livelihoods. The debate is unlikely to be resolved soon, but the use of AI in photography will continue to be an area of interest and concern for those working in the medium.

Ultimately, there is a need to recognize this issue and engage all relevant members in an open discussion and consider all perspectives. The Sony World Photography Awards may have suspended their activities with Eldagsen, but the debate on AI and photography is far from over. As technology continues to evolve and new ethical and legal questions arise. In conclusion, the controversy surrounding AI-generated images in photography raises moral and legal questions that need to be addressed. While some regard AI as just another tool and a new category of art, others accuse AI systems of unfairly exploiting the works of human creators. As AI technology continues to evolve, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between traditional photography and AI-generated images, raising the need for separate categories in photography contests. The debate surrounding AI in photography remains to watch as to how this technology will impact the future of photography as an art form.