Maurice Michaeler. Poisoned from the Inside, Acrylic on canvas, 2024
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) models have sparked intense debate on social media, particularly regarding their use of artists' works without consent, financial compensation, or attribution. These models often learn from vast datasets containing creative works, effectively borrowing ideas without acknowledging their origins. This ethical concern has been at the forefront of discussions since the emergence of generative AI programs and platforms.
In response, tools for “AI poisoning” have been developed as a countermeasure. These tools manipulate a user's work to make it unreadable or misleading to AI models, corrupting the AI’s understanding. By distorting the AI’s perception of objects, animals and more, such tools can cause the AI to render outputs with errors(such as extra limbs) or confuse one concept with another entirely.
"Poisoned from the Inside" explores the metaphorical process of AI corruption, portraying an AI being restricted, tainted, and "poisoned" by the data it consumes. Represented as a human-like figure with inverted colors symbolizing its opposition to humanity. The AI’s expression conveys a sense of struggle and inner turmoil. The painting reflects the hypothetical consequences of AI poisoning, imagining the damage such techniques could inflict on AI models.
The majority of the artwork was created using acrylic paint and brushes on canvas. To differentiate the aggressively grasping hands, masking tape and graffiti spray paint were used, achieving a smooth, brushstroke-free finish.
Maurice Michaeler
I’m an artist from Germany, currently studying 'Art and Multimedia' at Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich. My passion lies in illustration and animation, where I explore the boundaries of storytelling through visual art. I love experimenting with vibrant colors, dynamic compositions, and expressive characters to create pieces that resonate with viewers.