For this week’s lab, I explored how AI can be used to manipulate and analyze historical photographs. I experimented with colorizing an old photograph and using Distant Viewing Explorer to perform image classification and object detection. I was pleased with how quickly these tools could analyze an image and produce results, but the exercise also raised questions about the accuracy and ethical implications of AI-generated images.
One concern I had was how easily AI can change our understanding of historical images. Colorization can make older photographs feel more realistic and relatable, but the colors are not necessarily historically accurate. In How AI Is Hijacking Art History, Sonja Drimmer argues that AI colorization can “mistake representations for reality.” I think this is an important distinction because AI is making predictions about what a historical photograph might have looked like, rather than necessarily restoring its original appearance. That said, the image I chose to use (because of the awesome mustache) barely changed, further suggesting we should take these colorized images with a grain of salt, as results will significantly vary.
I also found the results from Distant Viewing Explorer interesting. The object detection model successfully identified the person and their tie, while the image classification model assigned different probabilities to clothing categories when facing essentially the same image. In her article, Drimmer argues that “A computer algorithm cannot perform these functions,” referring to the ability to understand art within its historical and cultural context. Although this image is not necessarily a piece of art, the algorithms’ uncertainty shows that these systems may never fully understand an image like a human being can.
Overall, I think AI offers fun opportunities for exploring historical images, but it is important to distinguish between authentic historical evidence and AI-generated interpretations. Without that distinction, these tools could potentially misrepresent the past rather than help us understand it.
Myles, I totally agree with what you said. Although I had tons of fun making these AI images and seeing what these images could have looked like with color, I do agree that is important to remember that the AI does not show what the image truly look like. Also the guy in your picture has an awesome STACHE!