I think there is a lot of ethical considerations to consider when discussing AI-generated images or videos.
We don’t realize on what grounds artificial intelligence is trained and modified to make it easier to use for the average population (typically first world users). The main users are those of the United States followed by China respectively. The two nations are currently the world’s technological superpowers and will remain as such most likely for a long time. While we as the primary users benefit a lot from things like Large Language Models and various AI generated research tools, writing models, etc, we have yet as a society to consider the other aspects of artificial intelligence and how it is trained.
AI generated images and videos are one of the most unethically trained models of AI. While LLMs as writing assistants definitely are not scot-free, the ethical implications of the images and videos and where it comes from is extremely problematic.
For example, those in third world countries are offered seemingly good jobs by big AI tech corporations in the states, to work for $1.50 an hour, working with AI image generation and detoxification of the systems. The workers are required at times to use personal pictures such as ones of their faces, pets, and homes.
Additionally, these same workers are required to filter through disgusting strings of words, phrases, and descriptions such as sexual abuse, slurs, violence, etc. The workers are then technically ‘able’ to see counselors but it is both rare and not accessible or good-quality enough for proper treatment, leaving many underpaid workers disturbed and exploited.
As for AI generated images, companies such as OpenAI outsource these third world workers (as in Sama), to deliver images to the company to help cleanse the image generation models. These images include anything from death to sexual violence. For almost 1.5 thousand images, the working company was not even paid $800.
Wow, this is some pretty nasty exploitation. This is something I was not aware was going on in the world of AI. Thanks for the information.
This post contributes an important and frequently disregarded viewpoint to the discussion of AI: that the systems we use are based on the unseen work of laborers in poor nations. The issue of exploitation and unfavorable working circumstances is powerful and concerning, particularly for individuals who handle hazardous material.
This brings up a question worth discussing: will the development of AI technology completely block the development of third world countries?
Wow, thank you for sharing all of this—I honestly didn’t know about most of it, and it’s really scary to learn how much harm and exploitation goes on behind the scenes. You clearly put in the time to research this, and I really respect that. It’s upsetting to think about people being treated that way just so we can have better AI tools. It definitely makes me think twice about how we use and support these technologies.