Sometimes AI-generated imagery is obvious. An impossibly ‘perfect’ man or woman rammed so far up the uncanny valley that they look like a Polar Express pre-render destined for the cutting room. And sometimes it’s not. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve marveled at a landscape or architectural ‘photography’ Instagram profile, only to be hit with the realization, later, that it was AI-generated.
Now, I’m not a complete AI skeptic. I think the technology has unfathomable potential, particularly in the fields of medicine and science. And I certainly don't look down on the creativity of the medium – there are some incredible AI artists out there. But I am skeptical about how society chooses to use it. Without getting too philosophical – not that I’m in any danger by quoting Conan the Barbarian (1982) – ”What is steel compared to the hand that wields it?”
