Will AI kill photography?

Posted on 30 Apr, 2023

AI this, AI that. I know, we're all getting a bit fatigued with the conversation. But, the truth is, it is looking as if it will be the next major evolution in many industries, photography included.

Will AI kill photography as we know it?
Not-so-distant futurists predict that, soon, anyone will be able to create an image without needing a camera — not even the one that lives in your phone. There are already sites out there featuring eerily realistic images of imaginary people, like This Person Does Not Exist.

Some even believe that creating hyper-realistic images will become as simple as typing out a description of what you want in an AI-powered app, or even describing the picture out loud to your pocket AI assistant.

“‘Siri’, you’ll say. ‘I’d like an image of a red-haired woman walking through a park in autumn, — presto! Your phone will provide various options on the screen to choose from,” Alex Savsunenko, head of Skylum AI Lab, said at a 2018 event, according to Artsy.
In actuality, saying AI will destroy photography is unnecessarily glib. Photography is a highly-skilled profession. Only a human can connect the artform to the audience in a meaningful way. AI will never do that.

The best photographs tell a story. They reflect a moment in history. They convey real human emotion.

Some of the most iconic and powerful photographs are the serendipitous chance of being at a specific place and a specific time. Others are carefully crafted moments informed by years of experience and training.

It’s with good reason that “a picture tells 1,000 words” has become such a cliché. Each of these great photographs captures a moment in time and sheds light on the human condition.

This narrative aspect of great photography is also why previous technical innovations, such as the advent of the camera phone, didn’t spell the demise of the professional lensman. The equipment and technology will change, but the craft will never be replaced by AI.