The Sony World Photography Awards is the leading international photo contest. The contest has four competition levels (Pro, Open, Student, and Youth). Each competition level is free to enter and the top prize is $25,000.

Boris Eldagsen was (is?) this year’s top winner in the Creative Open category showing a photo depicting two women stylized in sepia and paper wrinkles. The two women; one older, one younger, stylized in sepia tones and digitized paper wrinkles gives the image a timeless, thousand words feel.

Boris Eldagsen’s submission is an emotional and well made photograph.

Unfortunately, he didn’t take the photo. He generated it. At first, it was communicated the image used AI to make stylistic changes, but in the Eldagsen admitted to generating “Pseudomnesia: The Electrician”.

Like…Why?

Eldagsen said he entered the photograph to be a “cheeky monkey” and raise awareness to society about the harm AI generated photography may have on human photographers. He said, “it shows that at the moment the photographic world has been taken by surprise after this development that subtly you can create images that look like photography but you don’t need to have the skills and expertise of photographers.”

I think photographers have talked about people not having the skills and expertise of photographers since digital SLRs hit the market. Especially if you hear El Jefe Will Mapp talk about photography.

The World Photography Organization dialogued with Eldagsen if the photo used AI, and he said AI was a co-creator of the image. He should have just copped to admitting he generated the image.

The Real Dangers of AI

I have my beef with AI. I really do. I think the real danger of AI lies in the people using it to bilk people out of their money or being disingenuous. I know I’m asking for a lot. Eldagsen’s stunt just seems a little disingenuous when he outright lied to the competition committee.

People have real concerns about this technology. Photographers included. AI needs regulation right now. Or regulators need to be thinking about this now. It appears the World Photography Organization’s competition officials performed their due diligence with Eldagsen.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the judges being concerned about an AI generated image. That’s why they asked.

AI generated art is a real problem. Artists of all stripes are worried and they could use some regulatory help.

Eldagsen is just trolling, not helping.

-MJ