In a surprising turn of events, the promotional poster for the highly anticipated second season of Disney’s “Loki” on Disney Plus has ignited a firestorm of controversy within the creative community. The reason? Claims that the poster may have been partially created using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Illustrator Katria Raden, among others, has raised concerns, pointing out what she perceives as “AI telltale signs” within the artwork.
The AI Artistry Question
The Loki Seasons 2 poster features a captivating background with a spiralling clock, but Raden and other eagle-eyed designers have taken issue with certain elements. According to Raden’s post on social media platform X (Formerly known as Twitter), she believes the image displays “Signs like things randomly turning into meaningless squiggles,” which are often associated with artifacts left behind by AI-image generators. This revelation has led to a broader debate on the use of generative AI in creative processes, particularly in the context of licensing and intellectual property rights.
Shutterstock Stock Image Linkage
One of the key revelations that has fuelled this controversy is the apparent connection between the Loki Season 2 poster background and a stock image available on Shutterstock. The stock image in question, titled “Surreal Infinity Time Spiral Space Antique“, bears a striking resemblance to the background in the poster.
What adds a layer of intrigue to this connection is the fact that the Shutterstock image was published this year, effectively ruling out the possibility of it being too old to be AI-generated. Moreover, there is no embedded metadata that confirms the method of creation for the stock image. In essence, this means that it’s uncertain whether the image was generated by AI, a human artist, or some combination thereof. Complicating matters further, several AI image checkers have also flagged the Shutterstock stock image as AI-generated.
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Shutterstock’s AI-Generated Content Rules
Shutterstock, like many stock image platforms, has established rules regarding the licensing of AI-generated content. According to these rules, AI-generated content is generally not permitted for licensing on the platform unless it has been created using Shutterstock’s own AI-image generator tool. This policy serves to ensure that the platform can assert intellectual property ownership over all submitted content.
One crucial distinction is that Shutterstock offers AI-generated stock imagery that is clearly labelled as such on the platform. The platform claims that its AI-generated content is safe for commercial use, as it is primarily trained on its extensive stock library. Despite these rules and guidelines, Shutterstock has not yet responded to inquiries from the public, which sought clarification regarding whether the time-spiral image violated its own rules on AI-generated content and how the company intends to enforce these rules.
Implications for Creative Professionals
This controversy surrounding the alleged use of AI-generated content in the Loki Season 2 poster has far-reaching implications for the creative community at large. Katria Raden aptly highlights one of the core concerns: The potential for AI image generators to be trained on existing work without the consent of the original artists. This scenario raises ethical questions about the displacement of human artists and the impact on their livelihoods.
Licensing photos and illustrations on stock sites has long been a reliable means of income for countless hard-working artists. Replacing their work with generated imagery created via technology that is sometimes associated with mass exploitation and wage theft raises ethical concerns that extend beyond Disney’s own practices. In essence, the controversy forces us to question whether the convenience and efficiency offered by AI-generated content come at too high a cost to the creative industry and its professionals.
Disney’s Silence and Questions Remain
In light of the controversy, it remains unclear whether generative AI was employed elsewhere by Disney in the creation of promotional material for Loki Season 2. Some users on social media have speculated that AI assistance may have been used in specific sections of the Loki Season 2 poster, such as the positioning of miniaturised characters surrounding Tom Hiddleston’s iconic Loki. However, Disney has chosen not to respond to requests for clarification on whether AI was used in the creation of the promotional art and whether the company licensed the aforementioned Shutterstock image.
An argument can be made that since the Shutterstock image used in the poster isn’t labelled as AI-generated on the platform, Disney might not have been aware of its origins when designing the Loki Season 2 poster. Nevertheless, the presence of noticeable errors in the stock image would likely have been apparent to most graphic designers, raising questions about Disney’s design and editing processes.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding the use of AI in the Loki Season 2 poster highlights the ongoing debate about AI’s role in the creative industry. As AI-powered tools become more prevalent, questions about intellectual property, job security, and the future of art arise. This incident underscores the challenges at the intersection of technology and creativity, emphasising the need to protect artists’ rights and livelihoods while embracing the advantages of technology in the evolving world of art and design.
Read More: 5 Limits of Artificial Intelligence: Revealing the Cracks in AI’s Armour in 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How Did the Controversy Surrounding the Poster First Come to Light?
The controversy surrounding the Loki Season 2 poster initially surfaced when illustrator Katria Raden flagged the image on social media platform X (Formerly Twitter). In her post, Raden pointed out what she believed were “AI telltale signs” within the artwork, specifically noting elements that appeared as random, meaningless squiggles. This post by Raden caught the attention of the creative community and subsequently gained traction, leading to further scrutiny and discussion about the poster’s potential use of AI-generated content.
How Do Shutterstock’s Rules Address the Licensing of AI-Generated Content, and Why Are They Relevant to This Controversy?
Shutterstock’s rules regarding the licensing of AI-generated content are clear: AI-generated content is generally not permitted for licensing on the platform unless it has been created using Shutterstock’s own AI-image generator tool. These rules are relevant to the controversy because they emphasise the need for platforms to maintain control over the intellectual property of submitted content. In the context of the Loki poster controversy, it raises questions about whether the time-spiral image, which appears to be connected to the poster, violates Shutterstock’s rules on AI-generated content licensing.
Has Disney Provided Any Clarification on Whether AI Was Used in the Loki Season 2 Poster’s Creation and Whether They Licensed the Shutterstock Image?
As of the article’s publication, Disney has not provided any clarification regarding the use of AI in the creation of the Loki Season 2 poster or whether they licensed the Shutterstock image. The company has chosen to remain silent on these specific matters, leaving unanswered questions about the origins and methods employed in creating the promotional artwork. Disney’s silence has contributed to the ongoing speculation and debate surrounding the poster’s creation.
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