AI created images vs. Photoshop fabrications. Is there a difference?

[Mark Minard]

What's different about AI? There's much talk about the recent Sony award, and some of what's being said reminds me of the pushback from "purists" (for lack of a better term) against PS. A pushback that to my eye was much more virulent 20 years ago and seems to have largely subsided at this point.

 

[Hassasin]

I don't think "purists" have any different view of PS editing they had back when it was starting out. Both however involve human at the end of the cycle.

AI does things at some point on its own, even if human will, for now, continue to be behind instruction set AI relies on.

No matter how this goes, I see third cycle in arts, Ai-RT, whoever is going to accept it, enjoy it, and ... pay for it. I can see not long from now, an Ai piece selling for millions.

 

[grain elevator]

AI created text vs. MS Word fabrications. Is there a difference?

 

[Hassasin]

AI created text vs. MS Word fabrications. Is there a difference?

You don't see a difference? Hand written fantasy is not different from one created with Word. Ai created one is vastly not the same. We are still seeing human vs. effectively a "machine" (until that machine has a mind of its own).

World is surely going into accepting artificiality on every subject matter, this is no different. I am in the camp of not equating anything machine created to anything created by a human.

 

[nmp]

What's different about AI? There's much talk about the recent Sony award, and some of what's being said reminds me of the pushback from "purists" (for lack of a better term) against PS. A pushback that to my eye was much more virulent 20 years ago and seems to have largely subsided at this point.

What do you mean by "fabrication" - is it manipualtion of the image that is already there or creating an image from blank file using Photoshop? If it is the former, then the difference is one still has to take the camera and make a shot while AI generates the image out of the thin air of one's imagination.

 

[faberryman]

Sheesh. So much hand wringing, so little photography.

 

[grain elevator]

You don't see a difference? Hand written fantasy is not different from one created with Word. Ai created one is vastly not the same. We are still seeing human vs. effectively a "machine" (until that machine has a mind of its own).

I agree with you. I tried to make the absurdity of the question more obvious by translating it into something less emotionally charged on this photography forum. PS is analogous to Word.

 

[Kino]

What's different about AI? There's much talk about the recent Sony award, and some of what's being said reminds me of the pushback from "purists" (for lack of a better term) against PS. A pushback that to my eye was much more virulent 20 years ago and seems to have largely subsided at this point.

In my opinion, there are multiple levels of consideration to take on:

1. The Photoshop vs Chemical was a philosophical variation on tools used within the photographic community. This is computer code-generated "art" vs human inspiration, regardless of tools used.

2. The majority of apologists arguments that I have read for AI generated art can ultimately be reduced to a new "level of convenience" for the user (i.e., laziness) "Gee, I don't even have to drag my slacker ass off the couch to be an artist! How wonderful." It's kind of the ultimate consumation of the old jokes about automatic cameras that will eventually load themselves, venture forth, compose and shoot the image and hand you the image, only this time the camera keeps the rights to the images created.

3. The issue of Copyright and transparency loom large. I seriously doubt many people read or comprehend the Terms of Service on ChatGPT:



This is an existential threat to the concept of Human Creativity, probably due to human nature, as outlined in point #2 above.

 

[pentaxuser]

Sheesh. So much hand wringing, so little photography.

Might that be connected to the cost of so doing in recent times, I wonder?

pentaxuser

 

[BrianShaw]

Sheesh. So much hand wringing, so little photography.

Well now that photography can do itself and win competitions, there’s little more to do than handwringing!

 

[faberryman]

Well now that photography can do itself and win competitions, there’s little more to do than handwringing!

The handwringing over AI is enough to drive new film enthusiasts back to their phones. I haven't heard this level of hysteria since they invented automatic exposure.

 

[BrianShaw]

The handwringing over AI is enough to drive new film enthusiasts back to their phones. I haven't heard this level of hysteria since they invented automatic exposure.

Flip phones, preferably…

Maybe even landlines with cords and wires…

 

[faberryman]

Flip phones, preferably…

Maybe even landlines with cords and wires…

Tin cans and strings. You know, real phones. Now we're talking!

 

[Kino]

Flip phones, preferably…

Maybe even landlines with cords and wires…

Practically all "land lines" are digital now within a few hundred feet of the house; voice transmissions are digitized and networked.

 

[VinceInMT]

With the world peppered with webcams of one sort or another, perhaps AI with use them to go take its own photos.

 

[Saganich]

When making an image and in the darkroom I'm using equipment with myriad of components. So far none of these equipment makers claim to own any part of my creative output. It looks like that's changed. In a digital world it seems the creators of the equipment (algorithms and code) seem to feel they should be compensated not only for the product but also for their contribution to your creative output. Our digital submission will have consequences like loss of individual creativity, narrowing of cultural perspectives...lets see what chatGPT has to say...

How will AI narrow cultural perspectives and creativity?

AI has the potential to both narrow and broaden cultural perspectives and creativity, depending on how it is designed and used.
On the one hand, if AI algorithms are trained on biased or limited datasets, they may reinforce existing cultural biases and perspectives, rather than challenging or expanding them. For example, if an AI system is trained on data that reflects a particular cultural group's norms and values, it may struggle to recognize and respond appropriately to people from different cultural backgrounds. This could lead to a narrowing of cultural perspectives, as the AI system reinforces existing biases and fails to account for the diversity of human experience.
Similarly, if AI is used primarily as a tool for optimizing existing processes and products, it may discourage experimentation and creative exploration. For example, if a company uses AI to predict which products are most likely to be successful based on historical sales data, it may be less willing to take risks on innovative or unconventional ideas that do not fit into those preconceived categories.
On the other hand, AI can also broaden cultural perspectives and creativity in a number of ways. For example, by analyzing large and diverse datasets, AI can help to identify previously unrecognized patterns and connections, opening up new possibilities for creative exploration. AI can also help to break down language barriers and enable cross-cultural communication, facilitating the exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Ultimately, the impact of AI on cultural perspectives and creativity will depend on how it is designed, trained, and used. It is important to ensure that AI systems are developed with a broad range of perspectives and experiences in mind, and that they are used in ways that encourage experimentation and creative exploration, rather than simply optimizing for efficiency and profitability.

 

[Cholentpot]

AI is going to do to photoshop reliant photographers as to what photography did to painters at the onset of photography.

The best will survive. Everyone else is going to get pushed aside.

 

[MattKing]

I'm thinking we need a separate sub-forum here for discussions about AI generated content.

 

[BrianShaw]

I'm thinking we need a separate sub-forum here for discussions about AI generated content.

Suggestion: name the new sub-form “The Soapbox”. LOL

 

[MurrayMinchin]

AI is somewhat interesting in the context of singular images.

When it comes to a lifetimes worth of artistic growth and an artists changing/evolving body of work over time, humans are waaaaay more complex.

 

[VinceInMT]

When making an image and in the darkroom I'm using equipment with myriad of components. So far none of these equipment makers claim to own any part of my creative output. It looks like that's changed. In a digital world it seems the creators of the equipment (algorithms and code) seem to feel they should be compensated not only for the product but also for their contribution to your creative output. Our digital submission will have consequences like loss of individual creativity, narrowing of cultural perspectives...lets see what chatGPT has to say...

How will AI narrow cultural perspectives and creativity?

AI has the potential to both narrow and broaden cultural perspectives and creativity, depending on how it is designed and used.
On the one hand, if AI algorithms are trained on biased or limited datasets, they may reinforce existing cultural biases and perspectives, rather than challenging or expanding them. For example, if an AI system is trained on data that reflects a particular cultural group's norms and values, it may struggle to recognize and respond appropriately to people from different cultural backgrounds. This could lead to a narrowing of cultural perspectives, as the AI system reinforces existing biases and fails to account for the diversity of human experience.
Similarly, if AI is used primarily as a tool for optimizing existing processes and products, it may discourage experimentation and creative exploration. For example, if a company uses AI to predict which products are most likely to be successful based on historical sales data, it may be less willing to take risks on innovative or unconventional ideas that do not fit into those preconceived categories.
On the other hand, AI can also broaden cultural perspectives and creativity in a number of ways. For example, by analyzing large and diverse datasets, AI can help to identify previously unrecognized patterns and connections, opening up new possibilities for creative exploration. AI can also help to break down language barriers and enable cross-cultural communication, facilitating the exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Ultimately, the impact of AI on cultural perspectives and creativity will depend on how it is designed, trained, and used. It is important to ensure that AI systems are developed with a broad range of perspectives and experiences in mind, and that they are used in ways that encourage experimentation and creative exploration, rather than simply optimizing for efficiency and profitability.

I submitted your query and got a similar but differently word response. I find it interesting to substitute “people/persons/individuals” for “AI” in the response.

 

[Sirius Glass]

AI is going to do to photo$hop reliant photographers as to what photography did to painters at the onset of photography.

The best will survive. Everyone else is going to get pushed aside.

You nailed it!

 

[Sirius Glass]

I'm thinking we need a separate sub-forum here for discussions about AI generated content.

Suggestion: name the new sub-form “The Soapbox”. LOL

When will this sub-forum start?

 

[Cholentpot]

You nailed it!

I have family in education, the adverting industry, and law among other thing. They all agree that AI is already being used heavily and no-one really knows where it's going to lead to.

I have a suspicion that at some point analog photography will come into use in law as irrefutable evidence. Cursive and typewriters will also soon make a comeback as will other supposedly dead skills.

 

[Pieter12]

I have family in education, the adverting industry, and law among other thing. They all agree that AI is already being used heavily and no-one really knows where it's going to lead to.

I have a suspicion that at some point analog photography will come into use in law as irrefutable evidence. Cursive and typewriters will also soon make a comeback as will other supposedly dead skills.

A digital image can easily be converted into film, rendering that argument moot.