ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The AI revolution is here, and it’s only getting better. Whether or not you believe that’s a good or bad thing, you can’t argue that Artificial Intelligence hasn’t come up with some amazing things such as music, chat bots, photo editing, and so much more.
Christian Smooth, a filmmaker and photographer from Annapolis, decided to experiment with an AI photo generator called Midjourney. He wanted to see AI’s interpretation of average people in Anne Arundel County.
“It was supposed to be a one-off thing, but I kept getting asked to do different counties so I took up the challenge,” Smooth told The BayNet.
Since then, Smooth has generated hundreds of AI images depicting people from Baltimore city/county, Calvert County, Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County and has posted them all on his Facebook page.
“I love the responses I’ve been getting. It’s cool seeing people debating the accuracy of the ‘individuals’ I’ve generated from their prospective county,” said Smooth. “From what I see, I think people think they’re accurate…Honestly, a lot of the results surprised me. Because they look like people you would see on the street, or in your dreams. Some of the counties I’ve gotten asked to do I haven’t spent a lot of time there. So I leave it up to the people to decide.”
The power of AI has been rapidly growing over the past several years, but the popularity and mainstream attention it has received in just the last several months has left many people feeling uneasy or even scared of the potential consequences that come with it.
Smooth, however, sees the potential of AI being used for mostly good, if put in the right hands.
“Watching AI grow has been mind-numbing. It’s hard to keep up with the news because every day there is a new advancement,” stated Smooth. “Never in human history has a tool evolved at this speed. I think the power of AI is great but it has to be used in the right hands. We’ve reached a point where it’s hard to tell if something was created by a human…One of the things I love about this technology is that it has leveled the playing field for a lot of people. A lot of people are afraid of this technology, and are worried that they will be replaced. Yes, that might be true for some people, but for a vast amount of people, I think they’re looking at AI from the wrong angle. It’s a tool, and it should be treated as such. Instead of trying to put the genie back into the bottle. I think we should be using AI to help improve our endeavors and quality of life.”
Smooth mentioned that all counties are complete, so we should be seeing the results for the rest of Southern Maryland and beyond soon. Smooth also mentioned he is planning on making an animation of the images as well, so it’ll be very exciting to see how AI envisions us Marylanders even more.
So, what do you think about the images? Are they accurate? Let us know in the comments!
To see all of Smooth’s AI images, make sure you check out his Facebook page.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
Ah, AI is racist. People from Solomons do not look like that or from any of these places in Calvert County. AI of course, makes Upper Marlboro, etc look alethically nicer and cleaner than “people” from Calvert. What an absolute joke! Find me one person in Solomons that looks like that? There are none. FJB
Looks like AI mixed people from the actual Solomon Islands with locals.
You’re on the same website where they post the Calvert county blotter and you say this? Check through them, go backs a few weeks. I just found you at least 10 times what you asked for. And for the record, you were the one commenting on the race of people meaning you were looking for it… who’s racist again? AI is a collection of mathematical algorithms and you are a human. Which has the capacity to be racist? Any racism that you find in AI is a reflection of our own collective racism. Read a book.
Idk. Sometimes taking a hard look in the mirror is telling. As someone not from Calvert but lives here now, looking at these is VERY spot on.
Obviously you have never traveled the North East part of the country. And for the record, the people who claim not to be racist, are usually the most racist..Bless You heart
I have lived in many places, large and small cities and towns including Solomons. I cannot say I have ever met more racist people than there. If you are reading this, I am white as can be and have not a prejudice bone. Who cares what people look like. Treat people well
What does Biden have to do with ai people?
What a joke. I’ve lived in if not near all of the counties depicted in the photos and they are absolutely B.S. Seems the person writing this story, doing the photography, whatever, is a little biased from whatever he’s heard. AI=B.S.
and BTW FJB
Really?
People in Solomons DO NOT dress like that! I hate to tell you that this is no where near correct!
None of the people are overweight. That’s definitely not depicting southern Maryland people correctly.
And none of them are missing teeth 😂😂
I live in Lexington Park and this isn’t accurate at all.
🤪
I live in St. Mary’s county and visit Solomons Island on a regular basis. I can honestly tell you that I have never seen anyone that looked like that. Solomons Island= sailboats and restaurants. This article is hilarious!!😂
Lol, some people might look like that in Lusby only in the CRE, but the Lex Park no no they don’t look like hippies, Solomons absolutely people, never seen one person look like that, try more like the Dunkirk people. The Annapolis people either. The PG people that seems a little racist.
Young couples are moving there because if cheap housing.
Well, the North Beach one is accurate, at least.
Thank God that I am not average.
My brother lives in Calvert and looks identical to the guy with suspenders; I thought it was him. Wow.. spot on for Calvert 100%
& cannabis is getting ready to become legal.