New Tool Defends Artists by Poisoning AI Image Generators

AI image generators are becoming increasingly popular, but they have also raised concerns about copyright infringement. These generators can be used to create images that are very similar to existing artwork, without the permission of the original artist.

Key highlights:

  • Nightshade is a new tool that can help artists protect their work from being copied by AI image generators.
  • Nightshade works by injecting an invisible pixel into the artist’s work.
  • If the work is then used to train an AI image generator, the generator will become corrupted and produce nonsensical images.
  • Nightshade is still under development, but it has the potential to be a powerful tool for artists who are concerned about copyright infringement.

DALL·E 2023 10 23 19.33.25 Illustration in a comic book style depicting a humanoid robot in distress. The robots left hand is firmly placed on its neck indicating discomfort.

A new tool called Nightshade could help to protect artists from this type of infringement. Nightshade works by injecting an invisible pixel into the artist’s work. This pixel is harmless to humans, but it can cause AI image generators to produce nonsensical images.

To use Nightshade, artists simply upload their work to the website and create a unique watermark. The watermark is then embedded in the work as an invisible pixel. If the work is then used to train an AI image generator, the generator will become corrupted and produce nonsensical images.

Nightshade is still under development, but it has the potential to be a powerful tool for artists who are concerned about copyright infringement. The tool is currently free to use, but the creators plan to introduce a subscription fee in the future.

Experts weigh in on Nightshade:

“I think Nightshade is a very interesting tool,” said Ben Zhao, a computer science professor at the University of Chicago. “It’s a creative way to protect artists’ copyright. I’m curious to see how it develops and how AI image generators respond to it.”

“I think Nightshade is a good first step towards addressing the concerns of artists who are worried about copyright infringement,” said Rebecca MacKinnon, a director at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. “But it’s important to remember that AI image generators are still under development, and it’s likely that they will find ways to circumvent Nightshade in the future.”

Nightshade is a new tool that could help to protect artists from copyright infringement by AI image generators. The tool is still under development, but it has the potential to be a powerful tool for artists who are concerned about their work being copied without permission.

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Stacy Cook

Stacy is a certified ethical hacker and has a degree in Information Security. She keeps an eye on the latest cybersecurity threats and solutions, helping our readers stay safe online. Stacy is also a mentor for young women in tech and advocates for cybersecurity education.