Artificial intelligence has brought significant changes to the photography industry in recent years. Thanks to neural networks and machine learning, complex editing tasks that once took hours can now be accomplished with just a few clicks. Brands are even using AI-generated images of people that are royalty-free.
AI is often hailed as a major breakthrough in photography, but there are growing concerns about its long-term impact. Will AI enhance photographers’ work, or could it eventually replace them? Greg Scoblete, a renowned technology writer and PDN Magazine contributor, believes that AI’s potential goes beyond being just a tool for photographers. He warns that its ‘intelligence’ aspect could significantly disrupt creative industries.
In our discussion with Scoblete about AI’s future in photography, he shared his insights. He observed that photographers seem relatively unconcerned about AI, which is surprising given the broader discussions about AI-driven unemployment. He thinks this lack of concern could be due to immediate challenges photographers face, overshadowing the potential long-term impact of AI.
Scoblete believes that while AI might not replace all photography disciplines, it will likely take over certain areas like stock, product, and food photography. This shift could exert downward pressure on prices in other photography fields. He also foresees AI impacting retouchers, editors, and digital technicians by simplifying complex tasks.
The biggest threat, according to Scoblete, is AI redefining photography jobs. The role of a photographer might change, focusing more on positioning the camera while AI handles the technical and creative aspects, possibly leading to lower pay for photographers.
Regarding AI’s impact on creative industries, Scoblete argues that human creativity is not as mystical as we think—it’s the result of environmental interactions and neural processes. He believes AI could replicate this creativity, fundamentally changing the economics of creative fields. For businesses, using AI could mean increased efficiency and lower costs.
Scoblete also highlights the societal implications of AI, particularly the creation of photorealistic images and videos, which could contribute to misinformation and deception. He sees an impending arms race in AI technology to counter photo-realistic misinformation.
On a positive note, Scoblete thinks AI will benefit consumers by improving smartphone cameras and helping organize large photo libraries. He also anticipates AI reducing the reliance on megapixels in professional photography.
Finally, Scoblete points out that a lot of AI research is publicly available, leading to its widespread application in consumer products. However, this also means that the technology can fall into the wrong hands, as seen with deepfake technology. This accessibility and lack of proprietary protection could have far-reaching consequences in image-making technology.
