‘The danger of AI’, photography and the future at Foam

‘The ability of machines to “see” has improved tremendously over the past decades, meaning that computers have been trained, by humans, to recognise and generate images that come shockingly close to a photorealistic image,’ say Claartje van Dijk and Katy Hundertmark, senior curator of Amsterdam photography museum Foam, and managing editor of Foam Magazine, respectively.

‘In reality, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between a photograph and an image created with artificial intelligence (AI). Not only does this affect our understanding of what authorship means, but more importantly, it threatens to ultimately shatter the very foundation of the photographic image for good: its claim to truth.’

‘Photography Through the Lens of AI’ at Foam, Amsterdam

It is a subject the pair are exploring with the project, ‘Photography Through the Lens of AI’ – comprising two exhibitions, an issue of Foam Magazine and a presentation – which considers the multidimensional nature of today’s images, interlinking between the worlds of technology and art.

‘The history of AI is inherently connected to the history of photographic portraiture, and the untangling of the two results in what may be the most polarising conversation photo land has seen since digital cameras were introduced,’ they add. ‘While some are talking about the death of photography, others are fully embracing the new possibilities of AI. [Our] team of editors and curators have spent the past months diving deep into this rabbit hole, learning about the ways in which technology has brought us here, and exploring what this means for our visual culture and where it might lead. The ethical questions around AI need to be handled with careful consideration, while exploring the artistic possibilities of this new tool.’

The project’s group exhibition ‘Missing Mirror’ sees artists dissect the medium, from attempts to remove AI’s disembodied character to considering its humanity, finally dwelling on its habit to bypass the human entirely.

‘As a photography museum, the medium of photography is the jump-off point to Foam’s content development and exhibition programming. For this exhibition, the curators looked at how, in the past, the camera was the tool for people to document their immediate surroundings, their reality. Yet today, AI produces imagery that cannot be distinguished from an actual photograph. One of the important aspects of how AI came into existence and how it continues to take shape is the influence of humans. The [exhibition’s] different chapters provide insight into how humans have created AI and vice versa: how people use and implement AI as it develops into new technological advancements.

‘Rather than shower the visitor with a bulk of information, the exhibition is divided into various sections to give a better understanding of the topic, and the approach of the curators. The four chapters provide different angles as to how AI can be perceived, used, and the danger of AI as its ability to act autonomously continues to further develop.’

‘Photography Through the Lens of AI’ at Foam until 11 September 2024

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