Introduction
Although earlier attempts to create photographic images exist, photography as we know it today is considered to have been developed in 1839 with the invention of the daguerreotype by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre. Photography only became widely available to the mass market in 1901 with the introduction of the Kodak Brownie. Genealogists often search for and find photographic images of their ancestors. Recently, however, the introduction of images generated by artificial intelligence has tempted some genealogists to use image generation as a substitute for a missing image of an ancestor. The two images at the beginning of this article illustrate a genuine photograph from around 1920 and an image generated by Adobe Firefly. The image on the left is the photograph.
Objective
This post addresses the issue of the lack of historical accuracy in using any generated image as a substitute for a historical photograph.
Preparation
The image on the left was scanned by me from an original photograph of my grandmother. The image on the right was generated using a prompt in Adobe Firefly.
Implementation
The image on the left certainly should be used as a Memory in a website such as FamilySearch.org or Ancestry.com, but the image on the right should never be used at all.
Review and Verify
Once a generated image is upload to a public website it is nearly impossible for it to remain under the control of the originator or researcher. Even if the image is identified as AI generated, it may start to be widely used as an accurate portrayal. This has happened in the past before AI when an image was wrongly attributed. Unfortunately, the large online websites will accept any image regardless of its historical authenticity.
Ethical Considerations
The simple resolution to this challenge is to require some type of authentication establishing the provenance of any image and disclosure of the source of any generated images.
Benefits and Limitations
Genealogical researchers should be acquainted with the historical origins of photographs. The quality, hairstyle, and clothing of the people in the photographs should be historically consistent with timeframe of the individual or individuals shown.
Takeaway Tips
When viewing images, careful researchers always disclose any possible misuse of AI image generation, particularly for images claiming to be photographs before photography was invented.