Artists are taking a stand against the exploitation of their work in the digital realm. Leading this charge is 26-year-old Shawn Shan, a PhD student in computer science at the University of Chicago and MIT Technology Review’s 2024 Innovator of the Year.
Shan’s journey into AI security and privacy began during his undergraduate years when he worked on Fawkes, a tool designed to protect faces from facial recognition technology. However, it was his conversations with artists impacted by generative AI technology that inspired him to develop solutions. Teaming up with his advisor Ben Zhao, Shan set out to create tools that would empower artists in the face of digital threats. They sought input from over a thousand artists to understand their needs and how technology could protect their creative work.
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The result of their collaboration was Glaze, an algorithm that allows artists to conceal their unique style from AI replication. Released in early 2023, Glaze was followed by Nightshade, a tool that adds a “poison” layer to images to thwart image-generating AI models. By introducing subtle alterations to image pixels, these tools disrupt the interpretation of images by machine-learning algorithms.
Despite facing pushback from generative AI supporters, Glaze garnered immense popularity among artists, with nearly 3.5 million downloads to date. Nightshade, with over 700,000 downloads, has also made waves in the art community. Integrated into the art platform Cara, these tools offer artists the means to safeguard their creations from unauthorized replication. Glaze even received a distinguished paper award and the Internet Defense Prize at the Usenix Security Symposium.
Karla Ortiz, an artist collaborating with Shan’s team, highlights the impact of these tools on fostering creativity in the digital space. Ortiz is part of a class-action lawsuit against generative AI companies for copyright infringement, underscoring the importance of protecting artists’ rights.
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Shan’s innovative approach to bridging technology and art has not only empowered artists but also earned him accolades for his groundbreaking work. His ability to understand artists’ needs and translate them into technical solutions sets him apart as a visionary in the field.