Researchers have created a free tool that they claim can help stop text-to-image conversions artificial intelligence tools copying the artist’s style.
Known as Glaze, the University of Chicago research project allows artists to add a layer of masking to their work, making it harder for AI art generators to rip off artists’ work.
Glaze – which is still in beta – puts so-called “style cloaks” on artwork before it goes online. “These capes impose barely noticeable perturbations on the images, and when used as training data, they confuse generative models that try to emulate a particular artist” according to the creators (opens in a new tab).
And you thought AI was smart
Signaling a radical change in the way we create and consume artwork, AI graphics generators allow users to enter text prompts to generate unique (and often bizarre) masterpieces. They offer creators and businesses a more efficient way to create content.
However, this controversial technology has been making headlines lately for all the wrong reasons – is that true? Adobe uses art to train its Sensei tool Or artists and photography sites chasing rigs through the courts.
This is a problem that apps like Glaze can solve. Because despite the fanfare surrounding its arrival, the text-to-image generative AI isn’t as smart as users might think – yet.
On their official website, the team notes that “the Achilles heel of AI models was a phenomenon called adversarial examples – small tweaks to inputs that can make huge differences in how AI models classify inputs.”
Using Glaze to add a masking layer to your content changes the way these models interpret individual artworks. It effectively protects the artist’s style – even though they’ve already shared a lot of their work online and have seen it used to train AI in the past.
The researchers explained that as AI models are constantly refining and adopting new training data, “the more masked images you post online, the more your style will change in the AI model’s feature space, getting closer to your target style (e.g.). At some point, when the change is significant enough, the AI model will start generating Van Gogh-esque images when asked about your style.”
While the focus is now on individual artists, expect companies like Disney to implement tools like Glaze in the future to protect their art and prevent copyright infringement.
Artists can download Glaze for free for non-commercial use by clicking here Here (opens in a new tab).