A German artist has caused controversy by winning a prestigious photography award with an image generated entirely with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).
The artist, Boris Eldagsen, says he made it clear to the organizers of the Sony World Photography Awards that he would be using an algorithm to create his image, and has now turned down the award.
For their part, the organizers say they say Eldagsen had told them he would only use the AI as a prop, and they accused him of “deliberately lying”, although they later withdrew the accusation.
The sepia-toned image is titled “Pseudoamnesia: The Electrician” and shows two women in front of the lens, in a vaguely vintage style, as if it were a photograph from the early 1900s.
The Sony World Photography Awards gave him the award for Best Creative Photography in March.
Photography is one of the artistic fields most affected by the advent of artificial intelligence, which allows anyone to create ultra-realistic images by simply conversing with a “chatbox”.
Last year, an AI-created artwork won an award in a contest in Colorado, US, and also sparked controversy.
Eldagsen has said in interviews that his proposal was meant to ignite the AI debate.
“I competed as a cheek, to find out if the competitions are ready for the arrival of AI. They are not,” he said.
The photographic competition for its part has assured in a press release that, following the will of the artist, it has withdrawn the work.
“Given his actions and subsequent statements (…) we no longer believe it is possible to have a constructive dialogue with him,” Sony World Photography Awards explained in its statement.
Source: agencies
Source: Clarin
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