Artist Declines Photo Award Following Victory of AI-Generated Image

Artist Declines Photo Award Following Victory of AI-Generated Image



UJ
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A German artist has declined an award from a renowned international photography contest after disclosing that his entry was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Boris Eldagsen, based in Berlin, received the accolade for the creative open category at this year’s Sony World Photography Awards with his piece “Pseudomnesia: The Electrician.”

The haunting monochrome image features two women from different eras, with the older woman seemingly embracing the younger one from behind.

The event organizers stated they were informed of some AI involvement but noted there were “intentional” attempts to mislead them.

Eldagsen expressed his hope that his actions would initiate discussions on the topic, leading to “distinct competitions for images produced by AI.”

He admitted on his website that he acted “playfully” in hope of sparking a dialogue around AI-generated images.

“I appreciate you selecting my image and making this a historic event, as it marks the first AI-generated piece to triumph in a reputable international photography competition. How many of you realized or suspected that it was AI-generated? There’s something unsettling about this, isn’t there?”

He elaborated: “AI-generated images and traditional photography should not compete in this award; they are inherently different. AI does not equate to photography. Hence, I will not accept the award.”

He mentioned he entered the contest “playfully” to assess whether competitions were equipped to handle AI-generated submissions. They are not, he found.

Eldagsen told UJ on Tuesday, “This incident reveals that the photography community is currently taken aback by developments that allow for the creation of images resembling photography without requiring the skill and knowledge of photographers.”

He stated that AI has left many photographers feeling “threatened and anxious about job loss,” which is likely to occur.

Eldagsen asserted that his goal wasn’t to cause disruption but to catalyze a crucial dialogue.

“It wasn’t about winning,” he explained. “I was testing to determine if they were conscious of what was happening—similar to a hacker exploring a system’s vulnerabilities without malicious intent.”

In additional remarks on his site, he confirmed that he had notified the organizers about the AI involvement.

The organizers remarked that 2023 witnessed the highest number of entries in the history of the awards, with over 415,000 images submitted, more than 180,000 of which qualified for the professional categories.

Each category featured three finalists, along with five to seven shortlisted photographers, with selected images captured by photographers from over 30 countries in diverse settings—from an abandoned cement factory in China to a fish market in Somalia.

The World Photography Organisation, which oversees the competition, explained to UJ that in discussions with Eldagsen prior to announcing him as a category winner on March 14, he confirmed the “co-creation” of the image utilizing AI.

“The creative category of the open competition embraces various experimental methods for image creation, from cyanotypes and rayographs to advanced digital techniques,” the organizers stated.

“Consequently, based on our exchanges with Boris and the assurances he provided, we believed his entry met the criteria for this category and supported his participation. Additionally, we looked forward to having a more extensive discussion on this matter, preparing questions for a dedicated Q&A with him for our website.

“Given his decision to forgo the award, we have paused our collaborations with him and have removed him from the competition in accordance with his preferences. Due to his actions and subsequent declarations indicating deliberate attempts to mislead us, thus nullifying the assurances he provided, we feel unable to partake in meaningful and constructive dialogue with him.”

The statement acknowledged the organizers’ recognition of “the significance of this topic and its effects on contemporary image creation.”

“While AI practices hold relevance within artistic contexts of image-making, our awards have always been and will remain a platform dedicated to honoring the expertise and talent of photographers and artists working within the medium,” added the World Photography Organisation.

The leading image: Boris Eldagsen’s AI-generated work titled ‘Pseudomnesia: The Electrician’ was submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2023, where it claimed first prize in the creative open category.