AI-generated image wins a photography competition—but is it really?

Imagine a world where an AI-generated image secures first place in a prestigious photography contest. Once a far-off possibility, this scenario has become reality at the Sony World Photography Awards, organised by the World Photography Organisation. Berlin-based photomedia artist Boris Eldagsen submitted an AI-generated image titled THE ELECTRICIAN, which triumphed in the creative category of the open competition. However, Eldagsen declined the prize.

In a statement, Eldagsen argued, “AI images and photography should not compete with each other in an award like this. They are different entities. AI is not photography.” While I agree that AI-generated images are not photographs, I contend that these images still have a place in the competition. The shortlist for the creative category features numerous heavily manipulated images, such as a disembowelled android practising yoga and duplicated, faceless figures walking in an indistinct void. Although not photographs, these images are not excluded from the competition.