A.I. and Photography: Hype vs. Reality
Artificial Intelligence (AI). It’s the tech world’s new favourite buzzword, stirring up excitement, fear, and everything in between. In 2023, it seemed like AI came out of nowhere and planted itself firmly in our lives. From better written emails to our bosses to art competition submissions, the impact has been impossible to ignore. But is AI really the world-changing force it’s made out to be or is it just another overhyped tech trend with clever marketing and a long list of limitations?
For photographers, the rise of generative AI has been particularly divisive. On one hand, it promises new creative tools and streamlined workflows. On the other, it challenges the very essence of what it means to create. After a year of watching AI shake things up, I’ve got some thoughts on what it means for photography and why the human touch still matters more than ever.
Before AI
Before we dive into AI’s shiny new tricks, let’s rewind a bit. Long before the term “AI” dominated headlines, photographers were already using tech to enhance their work. Photoshop gave us the ability to swap skies, erase distractions, and tweak reality to taste. Some photographers openly embraced this, while others presented their heavily edited images as untouched, raising unrealistic expectations for “perfect” photos.
AI hasn’t reinvented this wheel. It’s just the next iteration of tools we’ve been using for decades. What’s different now is the speed and accessibility. AI can make the same edits in seconds with just a click. Impressive? Absolutely. Revolutionary? Not quite.
AI as a Tool
AI’s real strength lies in its ability to save time. Tools that automatically tag and sort photos based on their content? Game-changing for anyone managing large archives. Want to search your library for “mountains at sunset”? AI can do that in seconds, turning what used to be hours of scrolling into a few clicks.
While I appreciate the efficiency, I’m less interested in AI’s generative capabilities like creating synthetic images or filling in parts of a scene that weren’t there. To me, photography is about the process: the early mornings, the unexpected adventures, the moments you can’t plan for. AI can’t replicate that. It can only simulate an end result, and that’s not what photography is about.
Why Generative AI Isn’t Ready to Take Over
Generative AI might seem like the future, but let’s be honest it’s not as transformative as the hype suggests. For one thing, the term “AI” itself is a masterclass in marketing. It taps into decades of pop culture references, from Terminator to The Matrix, to make us believe this technology is some all-powerful force that will reshape the world. In reality, AI is just a set of advanced algorithms. It’s not “thinking.” It’s not “creating.” It’s crunching probabilities based on data and while that’s cool, it’s not magic.
The hype machine around AI plays to our imaginations, but the reality is far less glamorous. Generative AI has some flaws:
Massive Costs: Training these models costs millions of dollars and consumes a staggering amount of energy. The environmental impact alone is enough to raise eyebrows.
Hallucinations: AI confidently spits out errors, from nonsensical “facts” to bizarre image distortions. Ever seen an AI-generated photo where someone has three arms or 18 fingers? Yeah, not ideal, unless you’re H.P. Lovecraft.
Data Hunger: AI needs mountains of data to learn and improve, and we’re running out of good-quality material to feed it. We might end up training the models with A.I. generated data which is just a diluted version of the original source(s).
Much of AI’s promise is built on the idea that it’s “intelligent.” But it’s not. It’s just pattern recognition dressed up in a sci-fi costume. Companies like OpenAI ride this wave of optimism, inflating their valuations and making bold claims about a future they’re nowhere near delivering.
AI isn’t some omnipotent force, it’s a tool. A powerful one, sure, but the world-changing phenomenon it’s sold as, i’m unsure.
Authenticity Matters More Than Ever
As AI-generated content floods our feeds, I believe the value of authentic, human-made photography will only increase. People crave connection. They value the stories, effort, and emotional weight behind an image. Unless we all get plugged into the Matrix, the process of photography isn’t going anywhere. No AI can replicate waking up at 4 a.m. to capture the perfect sunrise or the experiences gained, the connection to nature or exploring a new culture.
Instead of competing with AI, I’m leaning into what makes my work uniquely human. Behind-the-scenes content, personal stories, and sharing my process, that’s where I’m focusing my energy. My blog is becoming more like a scrapbook of my journey: the successes, the failures, and much more.
AI in photography isn’t the apocalypse or the utopia, people make it out to be. It’s a tool, and like any tool, its value depends on how we use it. So no, I’m not worried about AI taking over photography. Because at the end of the day, what makes photography special isn’t something you can program.
