Industries that use image and video have been widely affected by the maturing of AI programs that can generate images. The programs have been trained on huge datasets containing many millions of images, giving the programs the ability to generate their own images with just a sentence to describe it. 

One of the biggest media software companies in the world, Adobe, has released an AI feature for its Photoshop program. Called Generative Fill, it allows a user to select an area of an existing image and describe what should be generated to fill that area. This makes it quick and easy for users to add backgrounds, restore old photographs and invent entirely new image compositions. You can see examples in this video:

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Many software companies are turning to AI research in order to improve their products and allow their users to work more efficiently. Autodesk is a company that makes software used across the world by architects, engineers, and structural designers to design buildings and products. They have developed Autodesk AI that gives tools to designers so that they can automate the design of buildings and working parts. In its current form, the program can allow designers to set a number of parameters, and then automate the process of creating many designs that the user can then select from.

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Companies like Sidewalk Labs (a subsidiary of Google’s Alphabet company) are using AI to crunch data on building and neighbourhood design, in order to select the best layout for key parameters like space, sunlight, access and sustainability. 

https://www.sidewalklabs.com/products/delve/mqdc-case-study 

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Web development companies are using AI to create websites from simple text prompts. This means that design processes can become faster, with AI programs that can generate layouts, suggest colour schemes and optimise the user interface based on data insights. Websites are also using AI to increase personalization. These programs can analyse user behaviour to tailor websites to individual preferences, delivering a more custom experience. 

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The movie industry is using AI in many ways. For instance AI programs have helped movies  recreate an actor’s face to recreate older characters. Companies like Scriptbook use AI algorithms to analyse film scripts, predicting their potential success at the box office. This technology can assist filmmakers in understanding audience preferences and optimising their scripts for broader appeal. https://www.scriptbook.io 

 

DISCUSSION

Talk within your group about who may be unhappy with the way AI is being implemented in these examples. Can you come up with a list of jobs that are the most likely to be impacted by AI?

 

ETHICS

This large push to use generative design across many industries has been met with a mix of enthusiasm and caution. It is true that when used well, generative AI can create interesting and innovative outputs alongside the expertise of humans. But it has the potential to be used to replace human workers without considering their livelihood.

 

AI programs working without enough oversight can result in products that aren’t as well-researched as they could be without AI. The 2023 Hollywood writers and actor strikes were influenced in part by the likelihood of AI taking jobs away from human actors and writers. AI designed machines, buildings or neighbourhoods can only be as good as the data that was used to train the programs. There is good reason to be cautious of that data, given what we know about bias or missing data that creates biased, unfair or dangerous products.