Adobe can analyze its users’ creative processes to train its artificial intelligence, the artists say

The web community of artists is gradually starting to fear artificial intelligence-based artistic creation tools. According to some, Adobe could track creatives using software to learn behavior and thus feed its AI.

Tools for creating images from text, made possible by artificial intelligence, have been a huge success on the Internet for a few months, and above all, they are multiplying: DALL-E 2, Midjourney, etc. Tech giants like Meta, which can create videos from text, are also on the move. In turn, OpenAI, also known as ChatGPT, is developing artificial intelligence that can create 3D models.

In order to work, this software needs a lot of data in addition to the complexity of its development or computing power, which is the bane of war for developers. Currently, automatic image generation tools are based on an Internet full of … artistic works. But this is not necessarily done with the consent of the creators, and some automatically created images have been criticized for plagiarism on social networks. Media Fast Company reports that several artists are accusing Adobe of harassing the creative process to train its artificial intelligence. A charge denied by Adobe.

An option enabled by default in Creative Cloud that allows Adobe to use its users’ data

A few days ago, comic book author Claire Wendling posted a screenshot of Adobe’s privacy and privacy settings on Instagram. It shows that “Adobe may analyze your content using techniques such as machine learning […] to develop and improve its products and services“. a setting enabled by default that allows Adobe to analyze User Content.for product improvement purposes“. Such a setting is available in many other programs and online services.

A fear shared by many artists, especially on Twitter, is software from the Adobe suite ” Follow artists who use their apps to see how they work, meaning they steal processes and actions that graphic designers have developed over decades to use in their own automated systems.“, summaryFast Company. In other words, they fear that their complex artistic processes could be learned by artificial intelligence and then automated. Something that will one day replace their jobs.

Adobe says it does not use user data to create artificial intelligence

An Adobe spokesperson said the company does not use customer data:Adobe does not use any data stored in customers’ Creative Cloud accounts to train experimental generative AI features.“. In addition, Adobe said it is reviewing its policy “to better define use cases for generative AI“. However, the service’s FAQ states that “Adobe may analyze your Creative Cloud or Document Cloud content to ensure product functionality and improve and develop our products and services.“. This includes all files stored on Adobe servers.

Result for “Astronaut riding a horse in photorealistic style” // Source: OpenAI

But later we learn that “None of your content is included in our products or services unless you make it public […] The information obtained through content analysis is not used to recreate your content or identify any personal information.Moreover, according to Professor Michael Velea of ​​University College London, who specializes in digital rights,Under European privacy law, Adobe must obtain user consent before reading data from individuals’ devices for purposes other than the service requested by the user.He adds that some creative professionals may have signed non-disclosure agreements with clients: enabling Adobe by default could create legal problems here.

A greater sense of dread than the Adobe question

As mentionedFast Companythe fear that design processes will be tracked by technology and then used to develop artificial intelligence is part of a broader concern about how artists deal with generative AI applications.“.

An explanatory diagram about Dall-E // Source: OpenAI

Midjourney, for example, didn’t ask for permission from the artists it owned.”it suckedWorks that could do this were condemned by artists’ unions. Some, moreover,created tools for colleagues to opt out of having their jobs taught to AI“. This use would violate the intellectual property rights and privacy of millions of creators. Moreover, the European Union questions the legality of automatically generated AI tools in terms of data protection.


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