Artificial Intelligence vs Fashion System - Visual Artist Quentin Jones and PM Niccolò Lapo Latini perspective.
INTERVIEW by Juan Jiménez Rossi
QUENTIN JONES Q/A
AI Technology: evolution or involution?
I mean technically of course it is an evolution, in and of its nature it is expanding on what was there before. But whether it is a positive evolution is another matter. In many areas there are incredible things coming from it - in cancer detection for instance. But The AI I see being used creatively so far doesn't interest me. Nor does it's use within programs (mainly adobe) that I use all the time. It seems kind of clunky and weird still.
Would you use AI Technology to create bizarre, paradoxical provocations or even predictions of what could happen in reality?
I don't use AI at all for work. Maybe in the years to come I might, but for now no. I do see a use for it making animation an easier process. But again, most of the AI within AMer effects is full of errors, and it takes more time to correct than it does to do the key frames yourself.
Photography documents, entertains, but does it also give the public something more? Photography in one word?
(A) mirror.
Do you believe that the myth "art can change the world" is false? Do you have a more cynical-realistic view on this?
I think poignant art can change the world, but I don't think that is a big statement. Art elicits emotions and the butterfly effect from human emotions can be infinitely wide reaching but also impossible to measure.
Do you have faith in the new generations, as photographers and as individuals of the future society? Do you have faith in progress?
Yes, I have faith that generations to come will keep making interesting work that relates to society as they find it. I don't think that is necessarily progress. I don't see that there is any linear development in creativity between generations. There is a constant conversion, but who is to say what is forward, and what is back.
A movie soon to be released in theatres by Ridley Scott "Napoleon". Quote "You have to live boldly because living prudently, waiting and thrifty is like dying every day". Do you find yourself in this statement?
Yes. I think being brave and seeking change in one's path, and opportunities is the only way to grow and have an exciting path. It is all too easy to sit back and accept what comes to us, but to be vulnerable and try new things is to evolve and stay engaged.
Humility. The secret of a prosperous career or synonymous with a lack of resourcefulness? Did you aspire to greatness or was his career not written from the beginning but built piece by piece? Quote by Khabib Nurmagomedov - UFC Former Fighter Light Weight World Champion x4 “I found no difference once I reached the top. In my head, I've always been the champion even before I became."
I think humility makes us hungry and determined. If we think we are already there, then the desire to develop is gone. A curious and driven artist feels like much of their previous work isn't much good.
I ask you for one advice and one warning for a career photographer in the face of the advent of these new technologies?
In the face of the new AI technology, I would urge creatives to double down on their own gut instincts; for what they find beautiful, for what they want to create, for the stories they are drawn to. For it is this human capacity to allow creative impulses to flow through us that computer brains will never have. All of our life experiences are part of every line we draw, or picture we take. And we channel them in ways a computer cannot emulate.
Do you believe that the appropriate use or not of AI Technology may depend on the genres of photography? If we think about advertising photography, such as its application in fashion industry, could it represent a good compromise?
I am yet to see a use of it that I find interesting or inspiring. But I am totally open to seeing that change in the future.
NICCOLÒ LAPO LATINI Q/A
What is your viewpoint on AI? What is your vision of technological progress in the professional life of human beings?
Technically speaking, AI could serve as a useful tool for the practical creation of images that contribute to the creative development of a project. However, it should always be regarded as a tool and used as a support and integration, not as a substitute. This is the essential purpose it should be recognized for: a facilitation, a convenience, nothing more. Any other use would be inappropriate or should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. When it comes to the concept of progress, well, we are accustomed to the history of mankind constantly and excessively seeking to make both private and professional life easier and accessible to everyone. I don't like the feeling, I don't relate to this trend, to this excess of control. I don't want to be misunderstood, the following statement is not intended to have a social or political context. It's meant to challenge and assess the abilities of each professional. I don't believe that everyone can do everything, so I don't believe that everyone should have the right or the ability, through support or alternative means, to do everything. Each person has their own characteristics, consisting of strengths, abilities, and also weaknesses that often cannot be filled by simple study, apprenticeship or tools. But this is also the fascinating aspect of a profession. If everyone knew how to do everything or somehow had the means to afford it, where would the differences or peculiarities that naturally distinguish us reside? Uniqueness is precious, and I have turned my numerous limitations into my treasure. They have been the starting point for learning new paths.
