Opinion: When unregulated AI re-creates the past, we can't trust that the 'historical' is real
We understand the significance of important historical images like these — images that we must learn from in order to move forward — in large part because they captured something true about the world when we weren't around to see it with our own eyes.
Read more: Opinion: An FAQ from the future — how we struggled and defeated deepfakes
As archival producers for documentary films and co-directors of the Archival Producers Alliance, we are deeply concerned about what could happen when we can no longer trust that such images reflect reality. And we're not the only ones: In advance of this year's Oscars, Variety reported that the Motion Picture Academy is considering requiring contenders to disclose the use of generative AI.
While such disclosure may be important for feature films, it is clearly crucial for documentaries. In the spring of 2023, we began to see synthetic images and audio used in the historical documentaries we were working on. With no standards in place for transparency, we fear this commingling of real and unreal could compromise the nonfiction genre and the indispensable role it plays in our shared history.
Read more: Opinion: If your phone had feelings would you treat it differently? It could happen sooner than you think
In February 2024, OpenAI previewed its new text-to-video platform, Sora, with a clip called 'Historical footage of California during the Gold Rush.' The video was convincing: A flowing stream filled with the promise of riches. A blue sky and rolling hills. A thriving town. Men on horseback. It looked like a western where the good guy wins and rides off into the sunset. It looked authentic, but it was fake.
OpenAI presented 'Historical Footage of California During the Gold Rush' to demonstrate how Sora, officially released in December 2024, creates videos based on user prompts using AI that 'understands and simulates reality.' But that clip is not reality. It is a haphazard blend of imagery both real and imagined by Hollywood, along with the industry's and archives' historical biases. Sora, like other generative AI programs such as Runway and Luma Dream Machine, scrapes content from the internet and other digital material. As a result, these platforms are simply recycling the limitations of online media, and no doubt amplifying the biases. Yet watching it, we understand how an audience might be fooled. Cinema is powerful that way.
Some in the film world have met the arrival of generative AI tools with open arms. We and others see it as something deeply troubling on the horizon. If our faith in the veracity of visuals is shattered, powerful and important films could lose their claim on the truth, even if they don't use AI-generated material.
Read more: Opinion: California and other states are rushing to regulate AI. This is what they're missing
Transparency, something akin to the food labeling that informs consumers about what goes into the things they eat, could be a small step forward. But no regulation of AI disclosure appears to be over the next hill, coming to rescue us.
Generative AI companies promise a world where anyone can create audio-visual material. This is deeply concerning when it's applied to representations of history. The proliferation of synthetic images makes the job of documentarians and researchers — safeguarding the integrity of primary source material, digging through archives, presenting history accurately — even more urgent. It's human work that cannot be replicated or replaced. One only needs to look to this year's Oscar-nominated documentary 'Sugarcane' to see the power of careful research, accurate archival imagery and well-reported personal narrative to expose hidden histories, in this case about the abuse of First Nations children in Canadian residential schools.
Read more: How a pair of acclaimed documentaries tackle the legacies of colonialism
The speed with which new AI models are being released and new content is being produced makes the technology impossible to ignore. While it can be fun to use these tools to imagine and test, what results is not a true work of documentation — of humans bearing witness. It's only a remix.
In response, we need robust AI media literacy for our industry and the general public. At the Archival Producers Alliance, we've published a set of guidelines — endorsed by more than 50 industry organizations — for the responsible use of generative AI in documentary film, practices that our colleagues are beginning to integrate into their work. We've also put out a call for case studies of AI use in documentary film. Our aim is to help the film industry ensure that documentaries will deserve that title and that the collective memory they inform will be protected.
We are not living in a classic western; no one is coming to save us from the threat of unregulated generative AI. We must work individually and together to preserve the integrity and diverse perspectives of our real history. Accurate visual records not only document what happened in the past, they help us understand it, learn its details and — maybe most importantly in this historical moment — believe it.
When we can no longer accurately witness the highs and lows of what came before, the future we share may turn out to be little more than a haphazard remix, too.
Rachel Antell, Stephanie Jenkins and Jennifer Petrucelli are co-directors of the Archival Producers Alliance.
If it's in the news right now, the L.A. Times' Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
OpenAI in Deal Talks That Would Value the Company at $500 Billion
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is in talks to sell $6 billion in shares owned by its current and former employees to investors, in a deal that would value the artificial intelligence company at roughly $500 billion, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. At $500 billion, OpenAI would become the world's most valuable privately held company, according to data from the start-up tracker CB Insights. The San Francisco-based A.I. lab has raised billions of dollars in recent years from investors including Microsoft, SoftBank and venture capital firms, as it has raced to take the lead in the contest over artificial intelligence. OpenAI has seen its valuation repeatedly jump higher, from $157 billion in October to $300 billion in March. That month, the company reached an agreement with SoftBank and other investors for a new funding, which was set to raise $40 billion by the end of the year. In this latest deal, known as a secondary market sale, OpenAI's current and former employees would agree to sell company shares to SoftBank, Thrive Capital and its other investors, the people with knowledge of the discussions said. The talks over the transaction are ongoing and the particulars could change. The discussions over a secondary market sale were earlier reported by Bloomberg. Across Silicon Valley, A.I. companies have been deluged by investor interest amid an escalation in the race over the technology. Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and OpenAI are spending billions to hire A.I. researchers to advance the technology, as well as building out data centers and other infrastructure to power the development of A.I. Investors are eager to get a piece of the action. Venture capital deals for A.I. start-ups reached $129 billion this year through Aug. 18, up from $106 billion for all of 2024, according to data from PitchBook, which tracks start-ups. On Tuesday, Databricks, a San Francisco company that makes software to help businesses store and analyze data using A.I., announced a new funding that it said valued it at more than $100 billion, up from $62 billion previously. Ali Ghodsi, a co-founder and the chief executive of Databricks, said the company had not actively been looking to raise money but had started receiving calls, texts, emails and WhatsApp messages from investors a couple of weeks ago. He said the flood of interest followed the initial public offering of Figma, a design software start-up that exceeded expectations by soaring to a $67.7 billion market capitalization on its first trading day last month. 'Everybody thinks it's a big market opportunity,' Mr. Ghodsi said. 'It wouldn't be smart for me to say let's wait another two years before we do that investment.' He said Databricks has 'no immediate plans' to go public. Before this latest financing, the start-up, which was founded in 2013, had raised $19 billion from investors including Thrive Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. The company did not disclose the funding amount it raised on Tuesday because the round has not closed. OpenAI has been raising money as it competes fiercely with rivals like Google. In its March fund-raising for $40 billion, SoftBank is providing 75 percent of the funding, with other investors chipping in the rest. While the other investors have delivered their share, SoftBank has until the end of the year to do so. SoftBank can reduce its share of the round to $20 billion from $30 billion if OpenAI does not change its unorthodox structure by the end of the year. OpenAI is an unusual combination of a nonprofit and for-profit company. For the past 18 months, it has worked to adopt a more traditional corporate structure that would eventually allow it to go public. But Elon Musk, one of OpenAI's founders, who now runs a rival A.I. company called xAI, is trying to block the company's efforts to restructure through a lawsuit in federal court. Others have called on the attorneys general in California, where OpenAI is headquartered, and in Delaware, where the company was registered, to stop the restructuring, saying that OpenAI is abandoning the original mission of the nonprofit. OpenAI's stated mission was to build A.I. for the benefit of humanity, not for financial gain. Both attorneys general have said they are monitoring the situation. (The New York Times has sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, accusing them of copyright infringement of news content related to A.I. systems. OpenAI and Microsoft have denied those claims.)
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why Ozzy Osbourne's Family Pulled The Plug On Airing 'Intimate' Documentary About His Final Years
The family of the late appears to be keeping things low at the moment, as they recently stopped the airing of his documentary. The legendary rocker, who had long anticipated his death, had prepared a movie in advance to showcase the last three years of his life. As the cause of his death continues to attract public attention, the rocker's wife, , is still struggling to properly handle her husband's passing. Why Ozzy Osbourne's Family Is Putting The Documentary On Hold The 76-year-old singer died on July 22. His family had earlier announced the passing of the legend via a statement that read, "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time." Almost a month later, the documentary on Ozzy, which was scheduled to air on the BBC, has now been pulled from the lineup. As reported by Variety, his family emphasized their need for privacy as the reason behind the pause. "Our sympathies are with the Osbourne family at this difficult time. We are respecting the family's wishes to wait a bit longer before airing this very special film," a spokesperson told the publication. It appears they want complete privacy for now, and the spokesperson has assured fans that a new airing date will be announced soon. A Sneak Peek into What the Documentary Would Look Like Upon Release The documentary titled "Coming Home," which emerged as a project following the deteriorating health of the music legend, was filmed to capture the last three years of his life. It was initially set to air as a series, "Home to Roost." As reported by the BBC, the documentary is set to highlight every aspect of Ozzy's final years, shedding light on the strength with which he faced his declining health, his determination to remain a stage star, and the impact of his struggles on his family. The producers have described the film as a "moving and inspirational account" of the music star's life as it portrays his journey with his wife Sharon and their two children, Jack and Kelly, as they pursue their long-time dream of traveling back to the UK. "There will be love, laughter, and tears," a source said of the project. The Cause of Ozzy Osbourne's Death Revealed The death certificate of the late rocker, released two weeks after his passing, revealed he suffered from many health issues. As reported by The Blast, four "joint causes" of death were listed, including acute myocardial infarction, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, coronary artery disease, and Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction. Ozzy, who had long anticipated his death and directed his profits to preferred channels, had been battling these health conditions as far back as 2003. However, his condition deteriorated due to complications from the back and neck surgery in 2019 after falling on stage mid-performance. "Five years of absolute hell for me and my family," he told Piers Morgan about his failing health in 2023. It was a hell of a ride for him, but he continued to manage his health even while making waves in his career. A Look At The Bond Ozzy Osbourne And Sharon Osbourne Shared As Ozzy continued to battle health challenges, the late father of six had his partner, Sharon, who also doubled as his manager, by his side throughout the journey. It was even reported that Sharon once mentioned they had agreed on a suicide pact if things ever became unbearable, as they didn't want to put their children through the pain of caring for a severely ill parent. As his manager, she played a vital role in keeping his career alive, often stepping in to save him at crucial moments. At his last performance, he was reportedly seen sitting while performing, a decision later revealed to have been Sharon's idea, as she didn't want the show to flop due to the risk of Ozzy collapsing on stage. How Ozzy Osbourne's Wife is Handling His Death The music manager is still overwhelmed with grief over the passing of her husband, sparking concern among her inner circle. "She's numb with disbelief at the suddenness of his death," a source said, as reported by The Blast. As different sources continue to express concern for the late icon's wife, who has also battled cancer in the past, Sharon seems to be done with love, describing the late rockstar as "her twin flame." An insider revealed that she is now more focused on her career and determined to keep Ozzy's legacy alive. Solve the daily Crossword
2 hours ago
Ariana DeBose says mom Gina Michelle DeBose has died of complications from ovarian cancer at 57
Ariana DeBose's mother Gina Michelle DeBose died Sunday morning "due to complications with stage 3 ovarian cancer," the actress and singer said this week. The "West Side Story" and "Love Hurts" star took to Instagram on Tuesday, posting a carousel of photos and a touching tribute to her "gorgeous, hilarious, outspoken, warrior queen Mother." "I couldn't be more proud of her and how she fought this insidious disease over the past 3 years. She was 57 years young," DeBose wrote in the caption. "She was my favorite person, my biggest fan and toughest critic. My best friend. She was my date to every important moment in my professional and personal life - and I wouldn't have it any other way," the post continued. "It had always been the two of us for as long as I can remember." DeBose said her mom "fought like hell to give me a good life, a good education and every opportunity in the world. I wouldn't be where I am without her." The Academy Award winner recalled a moment from her 2022 Oscars acceptance speech -- delivered after winning the award for best supporting actress for her role as Anita in "West Side Story" -- writing, "I meant it when I said my Oscar 'is just as much hers as it is mine.'" DeBose also highlighted her mom's purpose in life, to educate young people. "She passed just shy of delivering 30 years of service as a public school teacher," she wrote. "She was beloved and incredibly respected by her colleagues and students alike. The greatest advocate for the underdog, a believer in arts education and the smartest person I know - with a willingness to speak her mind regardless of the consequences." She added that her "greatest and most proud achievement will always be to have made her proud." In one of the carousel photos, DeBose left a detailed note outlining where people could donate in her mother's memory. "Details for a celebration of her life will be made available in the coming weeks," the note read. "At this time, I ask that my family's privacy be respected." A representative for DeBose did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. What to know about ovarian cancer Ovarian cancer is the second-most common gynecologic cancer in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the agency, the disease "causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system." While most women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are not at high risk, according to the CDC, there are many factors that could potentially increase a woman's risk for ovarian cancer, including a family history of the disease; a genetic mutation such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, "or one associated with Lynch syndrome"; a history of breast, uterine or colon cancer; or a diagnosis of endometriosis, described by the CDC as a condition where tissue from the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body. Those who are middle-aged or older, people with an Eastern European or Ashkenazi Jewish background, or those who have never given birth or who have had issues getting pregnant may also be at increased risk for ovarian cancer. Symptoms can include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain or pressure, bloating, a change in bowel habits, or "feeling full too quickly, or difficulty eating." Knowing risk factors is imperative as the Pap test does not screen for ovarian cancer, and the CDC says "there is no reliable way to screen for ovarian cancer in women who do not have any symptoms."
