Sony World Photography Winner Turns Down Prize For AI Creation

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • The winner of a prestigious photography competition is refusing the reward after he admitted, via his website, that the image was generated using artificial intelligence (AI).1
  • Boris Eldagsen, a German artist, won the Sony World Photography Award with a black-and-white image depicting two women from different generations. He has since said he pulled the stunt to test the integrity of the competition and that he hoped it would prompt discussion about the future of photography.2
  • In a statement on his website, Eldagsen also asked readers: "How many of you knew or suspected that it was AI generated?" He also stated: "AI images and photography should not compete with each other in an award like this… AI is not photography."3
  • According to the organizer of the Sony Awards, the World Photography Organization, the company was deliberately misled by the artist about the extent of AI involvement in the image's creation.4
  • Winners and shortlisted submissions from the Sony Awards will be exhibited at Somerset House in London until the start of May.5
  • The news comes shortly after an open letter published by the Future of Life Institute expressed concern over a "dangerous race" in the development of AI and called for a pause in the field.6

Sources: 1Guardian, 2BBC News, 3Sky News, 4Daily Mail, 5Euronews, and 6CNBC.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Guardian. AI systems with abilities exceeding the limits of human capacity are on the horizon. Governments must step in to stop the dangerous AI development race between big tech companies. If done at the right pace and with the right regulation, AI could offer unprecedented solutions to humanity, but it could also destroy us unless we intervene now.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Spectator (UK). The ramifications of developing AI technology are far too vast to even try to predict. But the positives are just as numerous as the negatives. AI could act to tackle loneliness, solve climate change, and address income inequality. Attempts to stifle the technology will not work, and versions of AI will soon permeate the lives of billions.

Predictions