I am a big fan of the Youtuber "Micro Four Nerds". She is such a great gal, in the way she combines the human, the artistic and the educational. On top she has that lovely personality, which sets her apart from others in a really warm, fun and sympathetic way.
I don't know how to describe her in words - I just feel warm about her way of presenting things, feels genuinely honest. Her sense of humor and gestures are just so... lovely !
She speaks about the new AI camera "Caira" - but it seems more of a very interesting reflection on AI in Photography.
Youtubers in general
Now generally, I am not into Youtubers at all. I often feel "I couldn't care less". Don't know how many times I get annoyed by the partially artificial "style", how to push things, while at the same time claiming to be neutral (or this or that or whatever). It just feels almost always over the top, and to single sided. Or so convoluted with "info" that you get exhausted.
Then you have Youtubers who understand to sell themselves (and the products) while remaining like super personal without "pushing" - but at the same time... they are still Youtubers pushing things.
It takes a while to understand the nuances (but I am not claiming to be an expert on that). I just rarely look at Youtubers. I don't like the phenomena - what it has become. Nor do I like what AI has become, and what happens in the hands of people. It's like putting a gun in street gangsters.
Highly Appreciated !
One of the few ones i do watch sometimes are "Micro Four Nerds", as well the Swedish, Stockholm based macro photographer "Micael Widell". Both are sincere, natural, and highly inspirational. Especially Micael Widell does some seriously good macro work - which sometimes it outside of what you think of when hearing the words "macro". He has this sense of art. I sometimes saw images of insects, black & white embedded in an atmosphere, which just looks amazing.
There are a few others, like one guy who tests lenses - which does absolutely excellent work and is highly appreciated in the World of Photography. I just don't remember his name *LOL* If I re-remember, I'll put him in here. Ah, Christofer Frost ! He does (and has done) excellent lens reviews, in a very consistent way. Through the years, i have often read, that he is highly appreciated among other photographers commenting that at DPreview.
Another one, Gordon Laing at Cameralabs.com - also does excellent work in testing photographic equipment. I think he has been around for 25 years from what i can remember.
None of these folks are of the screaming headline types. Unfortunately, far too many (almost all) of those exist on YouTube. I mean, sure it is a seemingly "free" world - but why is everything about those over the top headlines and claims? To be seen ?
Ah, the phenomena of wanting to getting seen, to stand out of the crowds, and to get many clicks. So, everybody is chasing after the same ball, then ? Then what ? Is that a self-fulfilling phenomena, ending up with that almost every one is making claims (or headline look) appearing as "larger than life" ? So, everyone "screams" in the end. Do anyone stand out ?
Oh boy.
The emptier the bottle, the noisier the sounds... ?!
Where is the (AI) Phenomena heading ?
Eventually, you see that companies shifting to AI, showing products which do not even exist (or the product images do not truly exist). Which is a different form of luring people (more or less). I often see on Amazon for example, everything from Chinese companies cut and past their products into the hands of models. But the image was never taken where you see the model holding the products. Now it is that you more often see ONLY AI created images of the product to be sold. For example clothes, etc.
Which forfeits the purpose. If you can't see the ACTUALLY product on an ACTUAL person - then it is a form of fraud. I don't care if the "producers" claim it is just for illustrational purposes. It is still a type of fraud and you can't truly make yourself an image of how a products actually works on a person - because AI took away the connection to the real products true look. Ultimately when you get inflation on AI produced images, you also get the minor shark coming in en masse, selling (often, let's face it) shit - which online looks like gorgeous clothes / products / etc.
So; Cui Bono then; Who benefits ?
Not the Goyim customer. As it was never intended to, really (in a larger scale of things). It seems always lean into overselling illusions to customers - but not reality, not quality nor true benefits. Hell if often doesn't even fulfill any needs. (Sure, good exceptions exist; not every person or company is a crook).
Back to the video from Micro Four Thirds
I agree with her a lot, as she states that AI does have its benefits when dealing with images. She takes away little details with it. (As do I). She doesn't replace things with new AI creations - nor do I.
The only time i use AI with totally new image details are the goofy ones - which also become very obvious when i publish them in my PhotoDiary here at XPan.se (I see those images like funny cartoons; when i change the hair of Sal, or transform a male face into what looks like a silly trans face. I call them "Helga & Stella comics" - and have been doing that since early 2000). Today with AI I can of course change a lot more things, which earlier required lots of work to say the least.
I also use AI in order to push down the image noise. But I don't change whole landscapes, skies, clouds with help of AI. I don't add entirely new element into images. (if i ever do, i will mark such images) - but I don't see any benefit nor need to add new elements in a photo. It just looks... well, it just looks fake in my eyes. Sure I have played with it - but I don't like the results. Also, on top, the resolution with AI, sucks most of the time. And there are often patterns involved which look... well, artificial. Especially when you zoom in.
Ai.
As it grows over the top - and it already does - photography doesn't seem to be about photography anymore. As it looses that inherent, human spark. The human connection.
AI is just mush out of billion images, from people who originally did the work. AI pulls all the elements together, like some artificial joke mush. It's like artificial meat... (which is made from cancer cells, by the way - because only those grow the fastest). But it ain't the real thing, nor is it in truth beneficial. And boy am i tired of so many outlets using AI motives as intro images... They all look ... just awful. Over dramatized. (Such as Italian meteoweb.com is using - where every weather prediction is supported by some über-hyper-dramatic AI illustration.
Oh man, so tiresome.
At least that's how I view AI developments today. (Even if it is cool in many ways, no doubt) - but to be frank - I do not see optimistic on the development of AI in the near and far future. No matter how charming it all is and seems... The future of AI - is not made for humanity's best interests.
In the hands of crooks and killers (via Governments)
Now, in the hands of less moral people - it is like giving alcoholics loads of booze and drugs in their hands. Make the math what comes out of it... Resulting into something surely on more dystopian side of things. The AI that is "sold" to the public, is just a tin, glossy fraction for the sheeples. Because it is about us "accepting" AI as being a part of our lives. But the real things behind it - is totalitarian control.
Minority Report (2002) - already active in 2025
Which is already in progress and we see more and more of it. Crime prediction utilized in Bavaria (Bayern, SE Germany) at the Police, New Orleans in the US, and even Switzerland's police is using it "under considerations".
AI is used in War (via Peter Thiel's company Palantir), helped Israel to kill Palestinians (but had only a 25% correct rate - whatever that means. So in reality, it more or less blindly chose randomly victims to be killed, according to Palantir AI's arbitrary conclusions). It is also used in the Ukrainian War.
But you don't hear much about how "well" AI works, and the actual failure rates it has. We all saw the Steven Spielberg's movie "Minority Report" with Tom Cruise from 2002. And Terminator with "Skynet" for that matter... Which already now is a reality !
Machines killing humans. See Gaza. See Ukraine.
So. Here are we with AI. Not benefiting humanity the least - but instead being used as a killing machine.
I am sure that is deliberately in the larger picture. To diffuse, to lure, to joke - and in the end - ultimately - it is about to divide humanity, even to kill. Pulling us away from moral, decency and truth. Pushing us towards the artificial, the fake, deceptions, luring, deceiving and joking (in a negative sense).
Example: Bill Gates
Dividing and splintering humanity in favor of much, much darker aspirations by the hidden hands (who gives a shit about humans under the disguise of titles like "selfless" and "philanthropy" - such as Bill Gates. He ain't giving away money. He is collecting money; because the principle goes like this: He "gives" a sum of money let's say $100 million dollars for some (in itself often nefarious, but good sounding project). Then the Governments are obligated to give him $ 900 million. That is how it works in reality.
From Germany he received a whopping 600 Million Euro from German taxpayers in the past 2 years. For what ? Absolutely Nothing.
The guy is not giving anything. He is a major crook, but at the same time - a puppet steered by his hidden masters. Like so many other public figures do the same.
They do
not serve the better aspects of humanity on our plane of existence. They represent deceptions on a Grande Scale, for human consumption under the label "philanthropy". Nothing could be further from the truth.
The human-divine spark / connection
I love that when a human being create; as it puts a little piece of his/her spirit into their creation. Whether it is the creation of clothes, a painted image, a photography or a good meal, a drawing or a handmade knitted scarf and so many other things. From simple to complex.
Part of their spirit or divine spark is woven into it ! I mean, think about that for a moment.
A creative person can also be a person who appreciates a good piece of music in depth; makes his or her spirit fly. Get goose pimples on their skins. Makes them want to dance, fly, or inspires them to create something of their own. Therefore; creation comes in and moves though many forms, ways, shapes and gestures in humans.
THAT is something to write home about. The hell with AI. It isn't even intelligent, but pretends to be. There is no divine spark woven into it. Not that i am aware of. But it sounds to "convincing" - even when it is just making up "facts" by inserting fictional aspects.
