What happened

Unable to travel to Russia due to airspace restrictions following the invasion of Ukraine, De Keyzer used generative AI to create a series of photographs about Russia for his book Putin's Dream. 

The photographer says he trained the AI using his own photos from previous trips to Russia in the 1980s and 2000s, aiming to produce realistic images that reflected his signature style of examining power structures and propaganda.

However, de Keyser was called out by fans and internet users for producing inauthentic images, contributing to misinformation and helping erode public trust in documentary-making and in visual media more generally.

Some also criticised him for potentially perpetuating stereotypes and biases, as AI models often rely on datasets that may contain existing prejudices.

Why it happened

De Keyzer says he decided to use AI because of travel restrictions preventing him from visiting Russia, a desire to complete his planned project on Russia, and an interest in exploring AI as a creative tool.

He also wanted to use the images to draw attention to the war in Ukraine and its victims, describing the book as being about "a dictator's dream of conquest".