German artist Boris Eldagsen has sparked controversy by revealing that the image with which he won first prize in the creative category at the 2023 Sony World Photography Awards was actually created by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The photographer said that he would not accept the prize and was surprised to learn that he had won. Furthermore, he claimed that the image has “all the flaws of the AI” and could have been detected as such.
The black-and-white photograph titled “The Electrician” shows two women in a scene that looks like it’s from the 1940s.
Although the image appears realistic, some details such as the position of the fingers and nails, as well as the fusion of the dress with the arm, are clear signs that it is an AI-generated image.
Eldagsen revealed that he created the image in September using DALL-E 2, in a process he called “promtography.” Upon learning of his success, he immediately informed the organizers of the competition about the origin of the image.
This episode questions the limits and definition of what is considered photography, as well as the ethics in art and photography contests. Should AI-generated images be allowed to compete in photography categories? Should artists be required to disclose the use of AI in their works? These questions, and others, will likely continue to be debated for years to come.