In a recent edition of the Australian Financial Review Magazine, a seemingly flattering feature on Australian superstars Sam Kerr and Margot Robbie took an alienesque turn, leaving fans both bewildered and amused. The magazine, renowned for its annual list of the most culturally powerful individuals in Australia, chose to experiment with artificial intelligence-generated images of the celebrities this time. However, what was meant to be a novel approach resulted in images that were both hilarious and "disturbing."
To generate these AI images, the AFR creative team enlisted the expertise of Rodolfo Ocampo, a PhD candidate in AI at UNSW, and employed an AI called Stable Diffusion. The team used generative artificial intelligence program and service ‘Midjourney’ to create the sets upon which the Power listers were to appear and then posed the AI-generated stars in place using 'Stable Diffusion'.
Matilda’s star Kerr topped the list of the 10 Australians who “made the biggest mark on culture this year”, followed by ‘Barbie’ movie star, Robbie.
The huge plot twist came when the AFR Magazine decided to use AI-generated images for some of the international stars on the list, including Kerr, Robbie, and Cummins and fans, upon closer inspection, noticed a bizarre anomaly. The use of artificial intelligence to create portraits had a comical side effect: the AI seemed to have no idea what to do with the celebrities' hands, resulting in peculiarly enlarged hands with extra fingers.
Sam Kerr, the captain of the Matildas, was rightfully recognised as the most culturally powerful person in Australia. She was joined on the list by Arts Minister Tony Burke, Senators Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Lidia Thorpe, ABC presenter Tony Armstrong, and Ashes Test-winning cricket team captain Pat Cummins.
Sam Kerr, clad in her signature red and blue attire and bright boots, was seen gripping the FIFA Women's World Cup with an unusual number of extra fingers. Likewise, Pat Cummins, the Australian Test cricket captain, sported extra fingers that some fans suggested would make him an even more intimidating bowler on the cricket pitch.
Margot Robbie, Hollywood sensation and one of the Power listers, appeared in the magazine sitting behind ex-prime minister Scott Morrison's desk. However, her AI-generated image featured an unusual glitch: her hands didn't quite match up to her real-life counterpart. They appeared oddly proportioned and had an unnatural quality.
AFR Magazine editor Matthew Drummond explained in an op-ed that the decision to use AI images aimed to reveal the potential for generating "high-quality fake photos" effortlessly. In an era dominated by image-driven social media, the risk of AI misuse to create deceptive images is a growing concern.
Drummond wrote, "Perhaps this issue, in a small way, will spur on business leaders, cultural leaders, and politicians to think more urgently about those risks, and what to do about them." He acknowledged the ethical considerations surrounding AI-generated images, particularly in the context of deepfakes, and emphasised their commitment to not exacerbate the problem.
While the AI-generated images in the magazine certainly sparked debate and amusement, this wasn't the first time that some of these Power listers had been transformed by AI. Sam Kerr, for instance, has been turned into a chatbot by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, as part of its push into "the metaverse." Kerr's chatbot, named Sally, represents a foray into a new dimension of AI-driven interaction.
The Australian Financial Review Magazine's experiment with AI-generated images of cultural powerhouses like Margot Robbie and Sam Kerr that has unwittingly produced laugh-inducing results, highlights the increasingly complex and evolving landscape of AI in the world of media and entertainment. As technology advances, ethical considerations and awareness of the potential for misuse become paramount, making it essential for both creators and consumers to stay informed and vigilant in the age of AI.
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