Netizen spots generative AI usage in PUB visual at MRT
A netizen was waiting for a train at Chinatown MRT station when a visual from the PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, caught his eye.
The man, who wished to be referred to as “Shane”, told MS News that it was his first time seeing the visual created for PUB’s Flood Resilience Campaign, with the theme of “Nobody needs to be the wet one out”.
Source: Reddit
It showed a saddened woman standing in floodwaters with more concerned and prepared neighbours behind her, urging the use of flood barriers.
Netizen disappointed but unsurprised
Shane began analysing the visual more closely while waiting for his train at about 3pm on 6 Jan.
“That’s when I saw the background was AI-generated,” he told MS News, pointing out the “weird squiggly lines” on the home’s window grilles.
Source: Reddit
When asked about his immediate reaction, Shane expressed that he was surprised “considering this came from a government agency”.
However, the disbelief soon turned into understanding as he reflected on “the push for more AI-heavy processes in every part of the workforce”.
Even so, Shane criticised the increasing use of generative AI, saying it looks “sloppy” and that it takes potential opportunities from people who may be paid to produce the work otherwise.
“First, it may be only the background, but it is a slippery slope as it may be the entire ad the next time,” he said to MS News.
In response to an MS News query, PUB stated that they created the visuals using “a combination of real actors, photography, stock images, and AI-generated elements such as the water and various background props to depict flooding scenarios”.
Photographer says industry is filled with ‘doom & gloom’
Other creatives, such as Singaporean photographer Geoff Ang, agreed that the visual contained “tell-tale signs” of generative AI usage.
“And not very good AI, that said,” added the photographer of 36 years.
Source: Reddit
Mr Ang said he has seen an increasing amount of AI usage to create visuals and ads in Singapore, especially in marketing strategies with low budgets.
Regarding the impact of AI on the photography field, Mr Ang explained that the industry has always been a competitive one.
“Now the current sentiment is all doom and gloom, which is sad. Everyone has a bleak vision of their future,” he claimed.
Higher-end photographers would be the least affected, as they work for bigger brands that would be less likely to use AI. Meanwhile, production costs and budget constraints could push clients to turn to AI rather than low or middle-end photographers.
When asked about how he deals with the rise of AI in photography, Mr Ang said he had a simple personal solution.
Image courtesy of Geoff Ang
“Keep doing good work and have a unique voice and style and a great human heart that might hopefully make clients still wanna shoot with me!”
He opined that people currently view AI as a novelty and want to try it out, but would ultimately crave the “human connection”.
“I personally selfishly use it sparingly to slow the process of AI’s rise,” Mr Ang said, though acknowledging that a single person’s actions would not make a dent in its progress.
President of freelance creative advocacy group notes increasing AI adoption
MS News also reached out to James Tan, a 46-year-old commercial retoucher and the President of the Visual, Audio, Creative Content Professionals Association (VICPA) Singapore, which advocates for the interests of local freelance creative professionals.
Image courtesy of James Tan
Mr Tan told MS News that Singapore has been seeing an increase in AI usage for posters and ads, due to its lower monetary costs and perceived ease of creation.
“Another reason might be the massive push for the adoption of all things AI, which is happening in most economies with heavy reliance on information technology,” he added.
Mr Tan also pointed to a “subtle” difference between a private company using AI generation and a government agency such as PUB or the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).
Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook
“Private companies are understood to be intrinsically profit-driven, versus government agencies whose focus is to advance national goals,” he explained, noting that actions by the government create ripples in both industry and society.
As such, the public could be more sensitive in how they interpret the ways these government agencies choose to deliver their messages.
According to Mr Tan, generative AI has “created a lot of buzz and differing opinions” among Singapore’s creatives.
He also opined that while there has been growth in the creative job market overall, the number of jobs with pre-gen AI requirements has lessened.
The threat of generative AI loomed over certain creative sectors more severely, such as voice actors, whose voices can be deepfaked.
“We are actively trying to work with the creatives there and also relevant ministries to find solutions for that issue,” Mr Tan told MS News.
VICPA aiming for transparency guidelines in AI usage
VICPA is currently looking at generative AI usage and guidelines from a transparency angle.
“Audiovisual assets which have generative AI elements should be tagged/labelled as such, and AI tools can be used to help with the tagging,” Mr Tan said, so consumers know what they’re viewing or listening to.
As for the impact on creatives’ incomes, VICPA did not have enough data yet for a conclusive answer.
Source: Airam Dato-on on Pexels, for illustration purposes only.
“It is not VICPA’s focus to police the use of creative tools,” Mr Tan replied when asked about what kind of AI usage in the creative industry they would accept.
“Let the creatives come together again to discuss what kind of future we want to build for ourselves and those who come after us.”
Shane, the netizen who started the discussion around the PUB visual, gave a similar opinion to MS News regarding the increasing use of AI in generating ads.
“The public [has] to decide if that’s a future they want to see.”
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Featured image adapted from Reddit.
