AI-generated images have also confused photography competitions. An image taken by a novice photographer on an iPhone and submitted to a competition was disqualified because it looked like a “product of artificial intelligence”. The contestant, the owner of the photo, reacted on social media.
The AI-ish photo taken by iPhone
The photo, taken by Suzi Dougherty, shows two models and Dougherty’s son. Dougherty, who entered the photo in the Australian competition, received an unexpected response from the judges. After initially admiring the photo, the judges said the image could have been created by artificial intelligence.
Refusing to allow the photo to be voted on, the jury announced that they had disqualified Suzi Dougherty from the competition. They defended their decision by saying that “images should come from personal experience, not cyberspace”.
The contestant, who reacted to the situation on social media, was eventually vindicated. The team organising the contest admitted their mistake and apologised to the contestants.
The use of artificial intelligence in photography competitions is increasing. It is therefore necessary to determine which photos are acceptable and which are not. It seems that relying on judges alone is no longer enough.
On the other hand, the opposite has been the case in recent months.An image created with computer tools won the Sony World Photography Awards, organised by the World Photography Organisation.