Art prize rewards images made using AI ‘promptography’

If a human artist uses artificial intelligence to generate an award-winning image, do they deserve to take home the prize money?

That’s just one question raised by an Australian-first photography competition as part of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, which rewards images created using AI prompts.

One of the judges, Berlin-based photo and video artist Boris Eldagsen, turned down first prize in the creative open category of the Sony World Photography Awards in April, because his winning image used AI.

“AI is not photography”, he said at the time.

Artificial intelligence would have predicted, no doubt, the online ruckus that ensued, out of which a new term arose: promptography.

The Prompted Peculiar – International AI Prize 2023 embraces this emerging discipline, in which artists feed prompts into an AI system to produce images.

It offers a $2000 overall prize and a $1000 people’s choice award.

But this second prize seems a little unfair to the computers – shouldn’t they get a say too? With all the questions being fed into the generative maw of the AI machines, did anyone ask them?

No, said biennale chief executive Vanessa Gerrans, who suggested a computer-chosen prize might be one for next time.

Gerrans is also on the judging panel and said she believes AI images can be elevated to the status of art, but role of the technology is certainly up for debate.

“There are clearly unresolved issues around moral rights and consent,” she said.

“These are the conversations we need to start having so we can make sure we’re primed and acting ethically and responsibly.”

Gerrans said it’s fascinating to be at the forefront of what artists are doing with AI.

But just like their counterparts at the Sony awards, the judges will need to stay on their (human) toes.

“We’re hoping the submissions will actually be AI generated, as opposed to a photographer submitting a photograph,” she said.

Shortlisted images are on show from 22 September at BAaD Gallery & Events at 737 Sturt Street, with winners to be announced on 8 October at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

– LIZ HOBDAY/ AAP