AI unbuttons conference participant's blouse

Occurred: October 2024

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An AI system inadvertently unbuttoned the blouse of a participant at a conference, raising concerns about the safety and ethical implications of AI technologies in public settings.ย 

What happened

Elizabeth Laraki discovered that an advertisement for the Upscale Conf 2024 showed her blouse unbuttoned and a bra digitally added.

Laraki initially said she was horrified by her own sloppiness and then shocked when she figured someone had manipulated her photo to unbutton her blouse.ย 

The conference organiser acknowledged that a social media manager had used a cropped version of her photo from their website and then used Adobe's Generative Expand system to make the photo look taller and compatible for the design, extend the edges and fill in new space.

Why it happened

The manipulation of Laraki's image to unbutton her blouse appeared to have been inadvertent but revealed that the system's tendency to stereotype people, notably women.

It also showed inadequate oversight of the system's outputs for the conference by senior managers.

What it means

The incident highlights ethical concerns regarding the use of AI in image editing and shows its ability to misrepresent individuals and their appearances.ย 

It also raises questions about consent and the implications of using AI tools that might perpetuate stereotypes or objectify individuals, especially women.

The situation sparked discussions about accountability in digital media practices and the need for more responsible use of AI technologies in professional contexts.

Generative artificial intelligence

Generative artificial intelligence (generative AI, GenAI, or GAI) is a subset of artificial intelligence that uses generative models to produce text, images, videos, or other forms of data.

Source: Wikipedia ๐Ÿ”—

System ๐Ÿค–

Operator: Elizabeth Laraki
Developer: Adobe
Country: USA
Sector: Business/professional services
Purpose: Expand image and background
Technology: Generative AI; Machine learning
Issue: Ethics/values; Safety
Transparency: Governance