Controversy has surrounded the field of technology ever since relational AI designs gained widespread acceptance in 2022. The ethical and rights-related debates have intensified recently, particularly with illustrators accusing companies like Adobe of infringing on their rights. The situation is poised to escalate further.
A leaked collection titled “Midjourney Style List” has surfaced, containing the names of over 16,000 artists whose works are believed to have influenced the conceptual model’s training. This compilation, which references 24 websites and includes prominent figures such as Banksy, David Hockney, and Walt Disney, has sparked significant controversy online.
The original Google report, initially part of a complaint against Stability AI, Midjourney, and DeviantArt, is no longer accessible directly but can still be found on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. Shared by Midjourney’s David Holz in 2022, the report sheds light on unsettling practices.
According to the report, developers at Midjourney were allegedly discussing the creation of a database of artists, reducing them to mere styles for the company’s training purposes. This revelation has been presented as evidence in ongoing legal proceedings, emphasizing the concerning lack of ownership rights for professionals in the industry.
Notably, the list includes even a six-year-old child, as reported by ARTnews, prompting reactions from numerous artists on platforms like Twitter. The roster features individuals associated with renowned entities like Hasbro and Nintendo, raising further ethical concerns.
In a recent video, TikTok user Controlla expressed dismay over the inclusion of “over 16,000 artists, many of whom struggle to earn a living from their art,” in the contentious list. This revelation underscores the exploitative nature of certain AI practices within the art sector, leading to widespread condemnation.
The evolution of AI image generation within a year has been staggering, blurring the lines between intentionally created and AI-generated images. The leaked document has fueled artists’ fears of potential design imitation, with illustrator Loish emphasizing her opposition to the unauthorized use of her work in generative AI applications.
The unauthorized replication of artists’ styles through AI-generated content, without their explicit consent, raises significant copyright and ethical concerns. The ongoing petition signals a potential turning point for Midjourney and the broader Artificial Intelligence industry, highlighting the need for greater transparency and ethical standards in AI development processes. This incident challenges the prevailing notion that AI models like Adobe Firefly are solely trained on commercially available images, exposing the complex ethical dilemmas within the sector.
