In a recent social media blitz, images of Pope Francis have been popping up all over the web. While the original photos used for the project are genuine, some of the images have been enhanced using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create immaculate simulations of the Vatican leader.
According to the developers behind the project, the idea was to create an experimental project using AI techniques to explore the potential of artificial image manipulation. The results, which were largely shared on Instagram, were nothing short of amazing, providing a perfectly rendered image of the Pope complete with modifications that could not be achieved in real life.
The software used to create the Pope Francis images make use of neural networks, which were trained on a library of thousands of authentic papal photographs. After the training, the developers had the AI complete the task of recreating a digital sitter. Through this implementation, the AI was given the liberty to adjust factors such as brightness, contrast and clarity of the final images – features that are physically impossible in the human photographs.
The results of the project were quickly picked up by the media, captivating the public. Many were drawn to the idea of artificial image manipulation and praised the efforts of the developers behind the project. Others, however, were far less enthusiastic about the idea, as some felt that it compromised the legitimacy of the Vatican and Pope Francis.
There are numerous ethical questions associated with the use of AI in this way, especially when it is used for personal gain. While the developers knew that the images would be in high demand, the risk of monetizing them was still a potential threat.
AI has come a long way in the last few years and we are seeing more and more applications of artificial image manipulation making their way into the mainstream. The Pope Francis images are a prime example of this and it will be interesting to see how other AI projects are used in the future.
