AI will actually benefit photography

Last week, if you can remember that far back, I briefly touched on artificial intelligence when announcing a new photography project.

And after I'd finished, sat back, and admired my handy work I started thinking.  No, no - stay with me here!

Over the past few weeks and months I've read numerous articles proclaiming that AI will ring the death knell for actual physical photography.  I mean, why get up at 4am to capture a beautiful sunset, or hike for miles and miles to some remote location when you can just type a few words into whatever device you're using and let some AI engines generate the perfect result.

Seems obvious then that this will be the way forward.

But I disagree.  Art, in whatever form it takes, has survived whatever has been thrown at it.

looks fine by me

People still paint pictures when taking a picture with a camera is easier.  

Sculptures are still created even though there are machines (and even home 3D printers) that can create something technically superior.

And there are still people taking photographs.

I'll go one step further through, and state that I think AI will actually benefit photography.  Not necessarily photographers, but the art form in general.  And here's why.

Everyone is now a photographer.  Well, everyone with a smartphone thinks they're a photographer that is (and some are).  And there are now billions and billions of pictures taken and sometimes shared online daily.  Most of them, the overwhelming majority in fact, are utter garbage.

What AI will do, I feel, is actually reduce the number of physical pictures taken by a person with a camera.  And with this reduction in number will come an increase in the quality of pictures taken. It stands to reason, doesn't it?  If you're that committed to going out with your camera at all times of day and to whatever location, you do it because you love it.  And with that love comes an inbuilt quality to the work produced.

So, if AI leads to an overall reduction in pictures taken, but those that are left are much better for it, then it's a massive, huge, gigantic yes from me.

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This week's tech Tuesday video takes a look at the output of each generation of Fujifilm's X-Trans sensor if you want to watch.  I won't blame you as actually typing that sentence was boring enough in itself, so just imagine what the video is like...