Paglen on the Future of Photography
A.I. Is the Future of Photography. Does That Mean Photography Is Dead? This is the question that The New York Times article featuring Trevor Paglen centers its article around, as four artists who work with A.I.-generated images—— Alejandro Cartagena, Charlie Engman, Trevor Paglen, and Laurie Simmons—— talked about how they’re thinking about the technology and where we might go from here.
The article discusses the impact of generative artificial intelligence (A.I.) on the definition of photography. Traditionally, photography has been seen as capturing a visual perspective from the physical world using light-sensitive plates, film, or digital sensors. With A.I. image generators creating photorealistic images in response to written prompts, the author questions the validity of calling these A.I.-generated images "photographs." The discussion involves concerns about the potential manipulation and vulnerability of society to misinformation. Four artists working with A.I.-generated images share their perspectives, with varied opinions ranging from embracing the technology creatively to expressing concerns about its implications for truth and artistic value. The conversation explores the evolving nature of photography at the intersection of technology and art.