If I were an art critic or curator, I would be worried. Throw in a few 'fancy' words and you almost have the writing on the wall at the entrance to the gallery! I am glad you did this. I agree with the drink, though. This is scary. But, there is hope, as Stanley Kubrick said: “The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good.”
What an interesting experiment Mark, love it! I'm glad you gave it a try and managed to experience how fast AI is evolving.
I use it a lot for my daily life, drafting newsletters, researching different points of view on certain topics, finding out what it knows about specific information, it is a very powerful tool but lacks the eye and experience of say a photo editor, a curator or even a photographer who can give you better constructive criticism rather than flattery.
As you say, it's great to pamper your ego but not a great tool to help you improve as a photographer.
Thanks, Xavi. It was a fun experiment. I can understand how AI would be useful for a professional photographer but, as a mere amateur hack, I don’t feel that I have much need or desire for it right now. I do think that it’s only a matter of time before AI becomes intelligent enough that we won’t be able to tell the difference between what a “machine” or a human being is telling us.
Interesting piece. I do use AI in my work on a daily base and I am also amazed by it. Have moved quite some repeating tasks to AI and that really helps me to work on important stuff. Your experiment of analyzing your own photos is a thing you can really learn from, still I prefer to have photo review discussions with like minded photographers. They're also more fun to have a drink with. Ooh, and ChatGPT should not read your posts as you can confirm if your work can be used for AI training.
Thanks, Marcel. I can certainly see the benefits of AI for professional photographers in streamlining their process flows or organizing their collections. Not so much for me though. Definitely agree that having human feedback is preferable but I also think it’s just a matter of time before we will be unable to tell the difference between a human or AI critique. The speed with which it’s progressing is a little scary to me.
An interesting and hilarious experiment Mark! One of the side effects apparently about ChatGTP is that more humans will become lazy in the coming years!
I would not have thought to do this... I don't use AI and actually stay away from it, but I find it fascinating nonetheless! Really interesting how it summed up everything so accurately. I guess it's able to read pixels and hot spots, light and darkness... in other words, it's reading the "negative", so to speak, yes?
To be honest, I’ve really no idea how it does it so I just asked it how it analyzes photos without being able to see them. This was the reply:
Good question! When you upload a photo, I process the image by breaking it down into data—things like shapes, colors, contrast, and patterns. I use machine learning models trained to recognize objects, faces, text, and even stylistic elements.
For example, if you upload a black-and-white photo of tree roots, I can describe the textures, lighting, and composition. But I don’t see it the way a human does—I analyze the image based on patterns and statistical probabilities.
I'm in the not interested in using ChatGTP for any reason including out of curiosity. I would rather use my mind than loose my mind if that makes sense. Everytime we let ChatGTP write for us we surrender our cognitive abilities. Just my 2 cents.
Totally hear what you’re saying, Pamela. I haven’t, and wouldn’t, let ChatGPT write for me either. To me that’s cheating. I may not be particularly good at writing or taking photographs but I get enjoyment and satisfaction from my own creations. When I have used ChatGPT it’s been in much the same way that I use Google, ie for research. However, I’m much more cautious with AI as I’ve found (at least at the moment) that it’s not infallible and some of the information presented to me has been incorrect. On the other hand, I think it’s good to be curious about new things and ideas. We may not embrace them but it’s good to know what’s out there.
I think that is what worries me about AI, is that people will be become dependent on that for “creativity” as I see so much “creativity” being done with it and it deceptive, like flowers and birds that don’t even look real that AI bots posts on the Socials and people believe is real. I do feel there is a use in medicine from things I have read and that is a good thing.
Wow...this is way too scary. I've never used ChatGTP and didn't realise how fast it's growing, I suppose the more people who use it the more it will grow but it can't replace the humanness of text written by a real person ... or can it?!!
Interesting read, Mark. Art critics will have to up their game if they want to keep working. On the flip side, and perhaps even more concerning, is autonomous image creation where there is no photographer and the imagery is totally fabricated.
Thanks, Thomas. Completely agree with you. At the moment, most AI generated photos leave a lot to be desired but it’s only a matter of time. Hope you’re settling in well to your new home.
Nice article. I use it here and there for ideas help. I never asked Chat GPT to analyze my photos in a constructive way but I have asked it to roast my photos and the responses were quite amusing.
Interesting experiment, for a minute I thought (hoped?) you would end the newsletter with '... but of course this was all made up because ChatGPT was not able to come up with anything remotely close to analyzing my photo's'. Oof ... Anyhoo, still not interested in AI/GPT really :)
.. ‘AI’ .. ain’t anything ‘NEW’ .. it’s just ‘another term for an evolving process.. - Culture & Technology
How do any of you suspect the pixels & characters arrived here on This Page - in some sort of coherent ‘arrangement .. & agrees to remain that way ? And ‘allows me to ‘examine & appraise it .. even ‘contribute’ to its ‘composition & possible ‘opinionation ? ! ?
You mention ‘the ego.. Well bang on eh ! AI will write you Heroic Flattery about your supreme wonderfullness .. validate yer ‘vanity & drool all over ones ‘discontents as ‘worthy of Lancelot or recall the ‘generosity & knowingness.. with a drywall hammer .. go BIG !
I’m interested myself in ‘best practices - re quite a number of ‘practices .. and some of the truly oddest questions - that my innate curiosity just ‘itches to understand far better .. AI has been involved ‘in my hypermedia explorations for over 1/2 century .. & i’ve ’taken it for granted.. accordingly .. Just arriving at my grandchildren’s home safely via Public Transit utilized a matrix of AI & electronic signalling .. inc a mobile text from Dylan telling me where the ‘custom metal tool to unlock the front door would be ‘hidden under the ‘yellow rock out front.. by the gargoyle .. 🦎🏴☠️🔍
If I were an art critic or curator, I would be worried. Throw in a few 'fancy' words and you almost have the writing on the wall at the entrance to the gallery! I am glad you did this. I agree with the drink, though. This is scary. But, there is hope, as Stanley Kubrick said: “The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good.”
Yes, it’s interesting how it managed to recreate some of the pretentiousness of “gallery speak” 😆. Thanks for the Kubrick quote, I really like that.
What an interesting experiment Mark, love it! I'm glad you gave it a try and managed to experience how fast AI is evolving.
I use it a lot for my daily life, drafting newsletters, researching different points of view on certain topics, finding out what it knows about specific information, it is a very powerful tool but lacks the eye and experience of say a photo editor, a curator or even a photographer who can give you better constructive criticism rather than flattery.
As you say, it's great to pamper your ego but not a great tool to help you improve as a photographer.
Thanks, Xavi. It was a fun experiment. I can understand how AI would be useful for a professional photographer but, as a mere amateur hack, I don’t feel that I have much need or desire for it right now. I do think that it’s only a matter of time before AI becomes intelligent enough that we won’t be able to tell the difference between what a “machine” or a human being is telling us.
Don't need to be a pro to have fun with AI, just need to enjoy it. It can provide helpful ideas into your other projects too.
Being some who isn‘t using ChatGTP - this is creeping me out a little.
It creeps me out too, Susanne.
Interesting piece. I do use AI in my work on a daily base and I am also amazed by it. Have moved quite some repeating tasks to AI and that really helps me to work on important stuff. Your experiment of analyzing your own photos is a thing you can really learn from, still I prefer to have photo review discussions with like minded photographers. They're also more fun to have a drink with. Ooh, and ChatGPT should not read your posts as you can confirm if your work can be used for AI training.
Thanks, Marcel. I can certainly see the benefits of AI for professional photographers in streamlining their process flows or organizing their collections. Not so much for me though. Definitely agree that having human feedback is preferable but I also think it’s just a matter of time before we will be unable to tell the difference between a human or AI critique. The speed with which it’s progressing is a little scary to me.
An interesting and hilarious experiment Mark! One of the side effects apparently about ChatGTP is that more humans will become lazy in the coming years!
Thanks, Shital. I agree with you, I’m already finding it harder to get out of bed in the mornings.
:o)
I would not have thought to do this... I don't use AI and actually stay away from it, but I find it fascinating nonetheless! Really interesting how it summed up everything so accurately. I guess it's able to read pixels and hot spots, light and darkness... in other words, it's reading the "negative", so to speak, yes?
To be honest, I’ve really no idea how it does it so I just asked it how it analyzes photos without being able to see them. This was the reply:
Good question! When you upload a photo, I process the image by breaking it down into data—things like shapes, colors, contrast, and patterns. I use machine learning models trained to recognize objects, faces, text, and even stylistic elements.
For example, if you upload a black-and-white photo of tree roots, I can describe the textures, lighting, and composition. But I don’t see it the way a human does—I analyze the image based on patterns and statistical probabilities.
I'm in the not interested in using ChatGTP for any reason including out of curiosity. I would rather use my mind than loose my mind if that makes sense. Everytime we let ChatGTP write for us we surrender our cognitive abilities. Just my 2 cents.
Totally hear what you’re saying, Pamela. I haven’t, and wouldn’t, let ChatGPT write for me either. To me that’s cheating. I may not be particularly good at writing or taking photographs but I get enjoyment and satisfaction from my own creations. When I have used ChatGPT it’s been in much the same way that I use Google, ie for research. However, I’m much more cautious with AI as I’ve found (at least at the moment) that it’s not infallible and some of the information presented to me has been incorrect. On the other hand, I think it’s good to be curious about new things and ideas. We may not embrace them but it’s good to know what’s out there.
I think that is what worries me about AI, is that people will be become dependent on that for “creativity” as I see so much “creativity” being done with it and it deceptive, like flowers and birds that don’t even look real that AI bots posts on the Socials and people believe is real. I do feel there is a use in medicine from things I have read and that is a good thing.
Yes, I am in complete agreement with you.
Wow...this is way too scary. I've never used ChatGTP and didn't realise how fast it's growing, I suppose the more people who use it the more it will grow but it can't replace the humanness of text written by a real person ... or can it?!!
That’s the great unknown. Give a couple more years and who knows what it’ll be capable of.
Mindblowing. I wonder what it could do re: whole portfolios of work, or book sequencing etc...
To be honest, I’m not sure I want to know. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if it could handle it.
Great share! Its certainly the end of the world as we know it, the end of the world as we know it, and we feel fine.
Thanks, Mark. The REM reference is appreciated
Interesting read, Mark. Art critics will have to up their game if they want to keep working. On the flip side, and perhaps even more concerning, is autonomous image creation where there is no photographer and the imagery is totally fabricated.
Thanks, Thomas. Completely agree with you. At the moment, most AI generated photos leave a lot to be desired but it’s only a matter of time. Hope you’re settling in well to your new home.
Nice article. I use it here and there for ideas help. I never asked Chat GPT to analyze my photos in a constructive way but I have asked it to roast my photos and the responses were quite amusing.
Thanks, Ronald. I love the idea of having ChatGPT roast my photos. Great suggestion! I’m going to give that a go.
Interesting experiment, for a minute I thought (hoped?) you would end the newsletter with '... but of course this was all made up because ChatGPT was not able to come up with anything remotely close to analyzing my photo's'. Oof ... Anyhoo, still not interested in AI/GPT really :)
Sorry to dash your hope, Ronald. It does go to show how quickly things are advancing and the time will come when none of us will be able to ignore it.
Ah well it's okay - like you say, we're not going to stop it anyways ;-)
So interesting! And I love those photos. I would love to have a house on the ocean with the graffiti photo enlarged on my living room wall.
Thanks, Maria. I can’t help you with the house on the ocean but can help you put the photo on your wall :)
.. ‘AI’ .. ain’t anything ‘NEW’ .. it’s just ‘another term for an evolving process.. - Culture & Technology
How do any of you suspect the pixels & characters arrived here on This Page - in some sort of coherent ‘arrangement .. & agrees to remain that way ? And ‘allows me to ‘examine & appraise it .. even ‘contribute’ to its ‘composition & possible ‘opinionation ? ! ?
You mention ‘the ego.. Well bang on eh ! AI will write you Heroic Flattery about your supreme wonderfullness .. validate yer ‘vanity & drool all over ones ‘discontents as ‘worthy of Lancelot or recall the ‘generosity & knowingness.. with a drywall hammer .. go BIG !
I’m interested myself in ‘best practices - re quite a number of ‘practices .. and some of the truly oddest questions - that my innate curiosity just ‘itches to understand far better .. AI has been involved ‘in my hypermedia explorations for over 1/2 century .. & i’ve ’taken it for granted.. accordingly .. Just arriving at my grandchildren’s home safely via Public Transit utilized a matrix of AI & electronic signalling .. inc a mobile text from Dylan telling me where the ‘custom metal tool to unlock the front door would be ‘hidden under the ‘yellow rock out front.. by the gargoyle .. 🦎🏴☠️🔍