By YanK l'Innommé
Artists around the world are striving to protect their creations in the face of the rise of generative artificial intelligence, capable of replicating styles with remarkable precision. Projects such as Glaze and Nightshade have been hailed as tools that could offer such protection. However, upon analyzing their mechanisms and limitations, it becomes clear that these solutions cannot serve as a sustainable response to this challenge. They are, at best, temporary fixes for a much deeper problem. In reality, only a political approach, supported by global regulation, could genuinely safeguard the rights and work of creators.
Tools like Glaze work by subtly altering artworks to make them harder to integrate into AI models. For instance, these tools introduce perturbations invisible to the human eye but disruptive for algorithms. However, generative AIs evolve rapidly and could soon adapt to bypass these protections. Once the patterns of perturbation are identified, AI models can be reprogrammed to ignore or circumvent them, rendering these solutions obsolete within just a few technological cycles.
A common characteristic of these tools is their open-source nature, a feature that, while commendable for fostering innovation and collaboration, presents a major drawback: it provides full transparency not only to well-intentioned users but also to individuals or entities looking to bypass their protections. A company aiming to enhance its models or a malicious actor could thoroughly analyze how Glaze operates and develop algorithms specifically designed to neutralize its protective measures. This accessibility makes these tools vulnerable to technically adept and motivated adversaries.
Even if AIs were unable to directly circumvent Glaze or similar tools, simple strategies could still undermine their effectiveness. For instance, a basic screenshot could bypass these protections entirely. A user could easily display a protected image in a browser or software, capture it, and then submit this version - stripped of its original protective perturbations - to a generative AI. Such rudimentary methods highlight just how fragile these protections are when confronted with direct human actions.
Given these technical limitations, it is essential to recognize that the solution cannot be purely technological. It must be rooted in global politics and supported by robust legal frameworks. Below are some proposals for effectively protecting artists' rights:
A viable model could involve creating a dedicated AI to manage artistic contributions. This AI would be designed to analyze the prompts given to generators as well as the resulting works, identifying the styles and concepts used. It would play a central role in redistributing revenues tied to the commercial use of generated works. The key advantages of this approach include:
For works derived from the public domain, such as creations by historical masters like Caravaggio, a compensation system could be implemented. For example, a portion of the revenue generated by works inspired by these creations could be allocated to museums or other cultural institutions. This would help fund the preservation of global artistic heritage while preventing an imbalance that excludes contemporary artists from benefiting.
None of these measures can be effective without strict legal frameworks and widespread adoption. Governments must implement laws obligating companies developing generative models to comply with these standards. International cooperation is crucial to prevent certain jurisdictions from becoming havens for unethical or exploitative practices.
Tools like Glaze, while innovative and promising in the short term, cannot provide long-term protection for artists against the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence. Their effectiveness is undermined by technical flaws, vulnerability to simple workarounds, and an inability to keep pace with technological adaptations. By contrast, a structured political approach, supported by dedicated technologies and international resolve to protect creators, offers a sustainable solution. By recognizing individual artistic contributions and ensuring fair and transparent revenue redistribution, we have a unique opportunity to protect not only today’s artists but also the very essence of human creativity for future generations.