Text-to-image conversion software AI enters the world of pornography, and the dangers are numerous.
It was only a matter of time: after paintings, music videos, and manga, it’s now time for artificial intelligence-generated porn. Text-to-image programs, which can generate original images from text written by the user, are sweeping the world of pornography.
Unlike generic programs, where the debate revolves around copyright issues, AI programs have numerous issues: the software can create realistic photos with minor protagonists, as well as images inspired by non-consenting real people. As new programs dedicated exclusively to erotic representations are launched on the web, the first online community of its kind is proving to be a huge success.
From Stable to Unstable Diffusion
Dall-E, Crayon, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion are the most well-known and widely used text-to-image programs. The software, which is now freely available online to anyone – some only after registering – is already being used to create pornographic images. At the moment, production appears to be unrestricted; however, dissemination of the results was limited by social networks and websites. Reddit and 4chan communities that used AI systems to generate realistic, manga-style images of naked characters, mostly women, as well as fake celebrity photos, were quickly shut down.
However, new forums have sprung up quickly, the largest of which is Unstable Diffusion on the Discord platform. According to the TechCrunch website, the channel is currently raising over $2,000 per month from several hundred donors by using artificial intelligence systems to generate pornography. Other online communities use well-known programs as well as those designed specifically to post pornographic images and drawings with no controls.
While the use of AI to create pornography isn’t new, newer models can produce higher-quality results than older models. Not only do your products risk putting those working in the R-18 industry out of work, but they can also have serious negative consequences for the protagonists who are used as inspiration by users.
The more experienced can instruct a model with AI to create pornographic photos based on a portrait of a person uploaded without their permission. “The risks include even more unreasonable expectations about women’s bodies and sexual behaviour, as well as privacy and copyright infringement due to sexual content being entered without consent to train the algorithm,” an AI expert told the American magazine.
Programs with AI only for porn
Initially, members of the community used well-known programs that allow users to generate porn by typing text messages. However, the results were unsatisfactory: the bots’ nude figures frequently had displaced limbs and distorted genitals. This is due to the software never having been exposed to porn. The number of pornographic results has recently increased; the operators of Unstable Diffusion claim to have created at least 4 million photos in recent weeks.
Now, Ai-powered programs dedicated solely to porn are available online. Mage and Pornpen.ai make it possible for anyone to create so-called Nsfw content directly within the browser. The websites allow visitors to select their preferred human body features to create pornography. Some bloggers have also attempted to highlight the novelty’s potential benefits, such as the ability to create more diverse and inclusive content with a wider range of body types, ethnicities, and genders. They could also create safer photos and videos by eliminating the need for actors to engage in risky sexual behaviour.
Given that there are no limits to what programs can do, the risks appear to be greater. This can result in disturbing and violent content, as well as the proliferation of revenge porn and online persecution. While new rules are being developed, it is up to sites and social networks to limit the spread of disturbing content generated by AI.
