Shutterstock Launches AI-Generated Art Contest With The United Nations

Video screenshot via AI for Good

Shutterstock is inciting creatives to paint the future, one prompt at a time, in a collaboration with the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s AI for Good initiative involving an intriguing challenge: the Canvas of the Future. In a global call to artists and artificial intelligence enthusiasts, the pair is asking them to envision a world aligned with the UN’s sustainable goals through the lens of this burgeoning technology.

AI for Good, an insightful webinar series under the ITU’s Standardization Bureau, advocates the use of AI for innovation and problem-solving. Its partnership with the royalty-free assets giant brings a unique angle to this objective. With the rise of AI, Shutterstock has been dabbling in high-tech tools for artistic creativity, including launching its own AI Image Generator powered by DALL-E.

The Canvas of the Future is an open invitation to creators all over to express their vision of a brighter future by using AI tools to craft captivating and meaningful artworks reflecting any of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including no poverty, zero hunger, climate action, and affordable and clean energy.

Video screenshot via AI for Good

Participants are tasked with dreaming up high-resolution digital images of any style while remaining original and ethical. Shutterstock’s AI generator, for one, is said to be “worry-free” as the model is trained on imagery from its wide-ranging library.

The project endeavors to harness AI in addressing pressing challenges, driving a more equitable, inclusive, and environmentally friendly world. By bringing together diverse experiences and perspectives, it seeks to contribute to a global conversation that is both inclusive and representative.

Works are judged not just on their illustration of sustainable attainments but also on criteria like mastery of technique, creativity and originality, clarity, visual impact, the “potential to inspire and provoke thought,” and whether they are “boundary transcending” with “international resonance.”

The Canvas of the Future winner will be invited to the AI for Good Global Summit 2024 in Geneva, where they’ll be offered a stage to showcase their vision. The deadline for submissions is February 29, 2024, with the announcement of the winners scheduled for April 1, 2024.

[via DIY Photography and AI for Good, video and screenshots via AI for Good]