Cover photo by Andy
Connecting with others through photos—the essence of this is being shaken by the advent of AI.
Meta is currently testing a new feature on Instagram where AI suggests automatic comment ideas for posted photos. For example, a photo of someone smiling with a thumbs up in the living room might display an AI comment like 'It looks cozy here.'
While casual reactions may increase, there is also concern that the essence of photo expression, where 'people feel and choose words,' might be lost.
Convenience or Crisis of Expression?
While AI assistance can save the effort of thinking up comments, it might also become a 'ghostwriter' for expression. The culture of photos on social media was originally appealing because it was about 'how to convey the world seen through one's own eyes.'
Photo by 中の人
If AI becomes the storyteller, both the viewer and the photographer might lose genuine emotion somewhere along the way.
Reconsidering the Act of Taking and Sharing Photos
This change poses new questions for us. The meaning of taking photos, commenting, and sharing on social media. Telling a story through photos from your own perspective is what moves the hearts of viewers.
Photo by 永山敏也
Next time you press the shutter, and when you add words to someone's photo, try delivering that one word in 'your own words.'
