AI art's hidden echo chamber is about to implode
BBC Science Focus|August 2023
Artificial intelligence creates millions of images a day, flooding the internet. But what happens when it starts to train on its own data?
AI art's hidden echo chamber is about to implode

In the past year, art created by artificial intelligence (AI) has gone from being the subject of research papers to emerging as a niche fad, all the way through to becoming an internet-dominating tool producing millions of images a day.

To get to this point of ubiquity, however, all the Al models had to be trained. And their training involves a hugely comprehensive deep-dive of the internet, in which they scan billions of images along with the images' corresponding descriptive texts.

Not only does that raise some major ethical questions around copyright, it also begs one question for the future: what happens when the internet becomes flooded with images made by artificial intelligence?

As these models continue to train by scouring the internet, they will undoubtedly be trained on images they first created. Does that cause some sort of self-perpetuating loop of weirder and weirder images, or will nothing actually change?

THE LOSS OF CREATIVITY

"AI will eventually start training on its own work it's expected to happen. That will essentially lead to stagnation in creativity. They train on what is already on the internet, so they will copy what is popular out there," says Ahmed Elgammal, a professor of computer science at Rutgers University, in New Jersey.

"If you get into the cycle of feeding AI what's on the internet, which right now is mostly AI, that'll lead to a stagnation where it's looking at the sam thing, the same art style, over and over again."

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von BBC Science Focus.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von BBC Science Focus.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS BBC SCIENCE FOCUSAlle anzeigen
THE HUNGER GAME
BBC Science Focus

THE HUNGER GAME

Obesity is on the rise, but as we blame our unhealthy food-ridden environment and look to wonder drugs to get rid of unwanted fat, what role do our genetics play?

time-read
9 Minuten  |
June 2024
HOW THE UNIVERSE WILL END
BBC Science Focus

HOW THE UNIVERSE WILL END

A colossal supercollider now in the early stages of development may one day help us predict the ultimate fate of the Universe. With it, scientists will be trying to find a hidden instability built into the fabric of existence... an instability that could destroy everything

time-read
9 Minuten  |
June 2024
DARK ENERGY MIGHT BE ABOUT TO THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
BBC Science Focus

DARK ENERGY MIGHT BE ABOUT TO THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS

The most mysterious phenomenon in the Universe could be about to spring another surprise on us

time-read
3 Minuten  |
June 2024
TAKE-OFF AT LAST
BBC Science Focus

TAKE-OFF AT LAST

AFTER A LONG WAIT, THE WORLD'S FIRST ZERO EMISSIONS AEROPLANES ARE FINALLY TAXIING TO REALITY. BUT ARE THEY THE SOLUTION WE NEED?

time-read
7 Minuten  |
June 2024
INSIDE THE 3D, NANOSCALE ATLAS THAT REVEALS A FRACTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
BBC Science Focus

INSIDE THE 3D, NANOSCALE ATLAS THAT REVEALS A FRACTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

The map is now the highest-resolution picture of the human brain ever created

time-read
1 min  |
June 2024
HOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN NUCLEAR FORENSICS MAY HELP CLEAN UP CHERNOBYL
BBC Science Focus

HOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN NUCLEAR FORENSICS MAY HELP CLEAN UP CHERNOBYL

Contrary to popular belief, radioactive material doesn't glow. But a team of nuclear forensics experts are working on a device to make it do just that. BBC Science Focus's Noa Leach meets the scientists behind the innovative device

time-read
4 Minuten  |
June 2024
MAJOR STUDY SHOWS HOW ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS CHANGE YOUR LIFESPAN, IF YOU'RE NOT EATING YOUR VEG
BBC Science Focus

MAJOR STUDY SHOWS HOW ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS CHANGE YOUR LIFESPAN, IF YOU'RE NOT EATING YOUR VEG

While ultra-processed food is bad for your health, a decades-long study suggests it may not be as harmful as previously thought

time-read
1 min  |
June 2024
ORIGIN OF EARTH'S 'SECOND MOON' DISCOVERED
BBC Science Focus

ORIGIN OF EARTH'S 'SECOND MOON' DISCOVERED

Asteroid sampling mission will confirm whether moon-like Kamo'oalewa came from our Moon

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 2024
INTERMITTENT FASTING AND CORRECTLY TIMED WORKOUTS ARE KEY TO FAT LOSS, SAYS STUDY
BBC Science Focus

INTERMITTENT FASTING AND CORRECTLY TIMED WORKOUTS ARE KEY TO FAT LOSS, SAYS STUDY

A new approach to dieting and exercise could help you lose weight and enhance your health

time-read
1 min  |
June 2024
MASSIVE EXPLOSION SPOTTED ON MYSTERIOUS DEAD STAR
BBC Science Focus

MASSIVE EXPLOSION SPOTTED ON MYSTERIOUS DEAD STAR

A satellite in the right place at the right time captured an important cosmic sight

time-read
1 min  |
June 2024