A photographer who won an award in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated images competition for a photo of a flamingo has been disqualified because the image was actually genuine. According to The Guardian, Miles Astray submitted the striking photo titled “Flamingone” to the prestigious 1839 Awards, known for attracting entries from top photographers worldwide. The judges were convinced by the image and awarded Ms. Astray third place in the “AI generated” category. However, it was later discovered that AI played no role in creating Mr. Astray’s photo, leading to his award being revoked.

Mr. Astray explained on his website that he chose to bend the rules after observing instances where AI-generated images were surpassing actual photographs in competitions. “I realized I could turn this story upside down in a way only a human could, by submitting a real photo to an AI competition,” he wrote.

“My work F L A M I N G O N E was the perfect candidate because it’s surreal and almost unimaginable, yet entirely natural. It’s the first real photo to win an AI award,” Mr. Astray added.

He acknowledged ethical concerns but justified his actions by highlighting the irony of deceiving viewers, a concept often associated with AI itself. He expressed his hope that professionals in the industry and the audience would recognize the critique of AI and its ethical consequences as more significant than the ethical concerns arising from misleading viewers.

The competition organizers acknowledged Mr. Astray’s “powerful message” but emphasized that his submission did not meet the specific criteria for the AI-generated image category. “Each category has clear criteria that entrants must adhere to. While we understand his intention, we want to ensure fairness for other artists competing in the AI category,” the organizers stated.

Lily Fierman, director of the Creative Resource Collective, which hosted the contest, expressed no hard feelings and mentioned that Mr. Astray’s photo of the flamingo would spark a meaningful discussion on AI’s role.