Researchers have created a free tool they claim can help stop text-to-image AI tools copying the style of an artist.
Known as Glaze, the University of Chicago research project allows artists to add a layer of cloak to their work, making it harder for AI art generators to rip off artists’ works .
Glaze – which is still in beta – applies so-called “style coats” to artwork before it is shared online. “These capes apply barely perceptible disturbances to images and, when used as training data, trick generative models that attempt to mimic a specific performer,” according to the developers (opens in a new tab).
And you thought the AI was smart
Signaling a radical departure from the way we create and consume artwork, AI art generators allow users to enter text prompts to generate unique (and often bizarre) masterpieces. They offer creators and businesses a more efficient way to create content.
But the controversial tech has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately – whether Adobe uses art to train its Sensei tool Or artists and photography sites suing platforms in court.
It’s a problem that apps like Glaze can solve. Because, despite the fanfare surrounding its emergence, generative text-to-image AI isn’t as smart as users might think — yet.
On its official website, the team notes that “the Achilles heel of AI models has been a phenomenon called conflicting examples – small adjustments in inputs that can produce massive differences in how AI models classify the entries”.
Using Glaze to add a layer of camouflage to content changes how these models interpret particular artwork. It effectively protects an artist’s style – even if they’ve shared many of their works online and seen it used to train AI in the past.
The researchers explained that since AI models continually refine and take in new training data, “the more masked images you post online, the more your style will change in the model’s feature space. AI, approaching the target style (e.g. van Gogh style) At some point, when the change is large enough, the AI model will start generating images in the van Gogh style when given your style will ask.
With the focus now on unique artists, expect to see companies like Disney deploying tools like Glaze in the future to protect their art and prevent copyright infringement.
Artists can download Glaze for free for non-commercial use by clicking here (opens in a new tab).
