Brussels, 24th April 2023 – CEPIC is delighted to announce that world-renowned photographer Boris Eldagsen has confirmed that he will be the feature speaker at the upcoming CEPIC 2023 Congress, to be held in Antibes, France from 10th to 12th May. Mr Eldagsen made AI headlines around the world when he declined the prestigious Sony World Photography Award only this month on the grounds that it was #AI generated.
Boris Eldagsen has moved from Artist to Activist in just 9 months. He is a German photographer known for his striking and thought-provoking images has been exhibited internationally and featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times and Vogue Italia. He says: “I applied, really as a cheeky monkey, to find out, if International Competitions are ready for AI images. They are not. We, the photo world, need an open discussion. A discussion about what we want to consider photography and what not. Is the umbrella of photography large enough to invite AI images to enter – or would this be a mistake? With my refusal of this prestigious award I aim to accelerate this debate.”
At the CEPIC conference, Eldagsen will share his journey in AI and why he had to turned down this much coveted Prize. He will also share his insights on how AI generated images should be treated in comparison to photography. “It is important to realise that the ‘photo-like’ visual language of AI-generated images has separated itself from the medium of ‘photography’ and is now free-floating as something in its own right.”
Boris will speak at 15:00 H on 11th May within the CEPIC framework of the AI Day
“We are delighted that Boris Eldagsen has agreed to speak this year’s Congress,” says CEPIC President Christina Vaughan. “AI is moving at such a fast pace and CEPIC has been instrumental in setting the standard for Ethical and Sustainable AI. We welcome trailblazers like Mr Eldagsen to share their insights and experiences on this fast-moving medium and the huge impact it is already having on the world of Photography. This session, indeed, the whole of the AI Day should not be missed by anyone excited and intrigued by the future of AI in the Photography world.”
“We are excited to have Boris sharing his experience at CEPIC” says CEPIC Executive Director Sylvie Fodor “Generative AI is a core issue for the visual media industry and his intervention has helped to highlight how problematic AI may be for the creative industries. CEPIC has early on created an AI working group and finally published Ethical Guidelines in February 2023.”
The CEPIC conference brings together professionals from across the picture industry, including image agencies, photographers, and technology providers. The conference features a variety of informative sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, providing attendees with the latest insights and trends in the industry. This year is one of the most innovative programmes encompassing hot business and creative topics such as AI and Diversity and Inclusion as well as the best global networking in the whole image industry.
The CEPIC conference will be held from May 9th-12th at the Antipolis Congress Center in Antibes, at the core of Sophia-Antipolis, the first technopol in Europe. The Congress has attracted major Sponsors such as Shutterstock as a Premium Sponsor and Google as a Key Conference Partner.
For more information and registration details, please visit the CEPIC website.
Delegates can register for the AI day alone at CEPIC 2023: 9) CEPIC AI DAY 11th May 2023 (trippus.se)
or for the entire three days at Fees and Registration | CEPIC
About CEPIC:
CEPIC is the International Association of the Visual Media Licensing Industry, registered in Brussels as an International non profit organisation with a mission to promote and protect the interests of picture agencies and libraries and to support the industry in all aspects of its work. For more information, visit www.cepic.org
Press Release in PDF (download)
For high res. file of Boris Eldagsen’s winning picture, please contact CEPIC
