World Press Photo contest backtracks on AI

By Mike O'Connor | 28 November 2023

The World Press Photo (WPP) contest has reversed its decision to controversially allow AI-generated work in the competition's Open Format category following public backlash.

Recently, a blog post published on the WPP website announced that generative AI would be permitted to be entered in the Open Format section of the competition — a category that is open to non-traditional, but still photography-based techniques, including overlaying text over images.

'Here, The Doors Don't Know Me’ by Mohamed Mahdy is a web-based project that explores the effects of rising seas on the local community in Al Max in Alexandria, Egypt. The series won the Open Format category 2023.
'Here, The Doors Don't Know Me’ by Mohamed Mahdy is a web-based project that explores the effects of rising seas on the local community in Al Max in Alexandria, Egypt. The series won the Open Format category 2023. Image: Mohamed Mahdy/Magnum Foundation/World Press Photo Foundation.

"We will permit the use of generative AI in the Open Format category, as long as entries incorporate lens-based still photography as the source and central part of the work," the blog post stated, with a caveat that "Entries that solely contain artificially generated images will be disqualified from the contest."

Following the release of the blog post, dozens of photographers signed an open letter on Medium stating that the decision “undermines” their work.

"These images, which are in essence digital mashups drawing from existing photography, are often hard to distinguish from actual photographs, but are devoid of any connection to the real world," the letter states.

"This connection to the real world, the world as it is, is at the core not only of photojournalistic practice, but of journalism in general. Both moves undermine what we do fundamentally."

Compounding the issue has been WPP's recent decision to publish a series of AI-generated images on its instagram feed, while asking if such an image “could win in the World Press Photo Contest?”

The responses to the post were overwhelmingly negative.

“You just made my WPP award feel like a worthless piece of metal. This shows a complete lack of respect for the work we do, the risks we take and the reasons why we do it,” wrote Daniel Etter.

"AI generated images are images, not photographs. There should not be any discussion in a photo contest about that," wrote photographer Martin van Lokven on a follow-up post.

Last week, the WPP announced that following feedback AI-generated images will continue to be excluded from the Open Format category.

"Thanks to the honest and thoughtful feedback over the past days, we have decided to change the rules for the Open Format category in our contest to exclude AI generated images," the short statement confirmed. 

“Both generative fill and fully generated images will be prohibited in the Open Format category (as was already the case in the other categories: Singles, Stories, and Long-Term Projects). This is in line with our long-standing values of accuracy and trustworthiness.”

At the same time, the WPP also updated its definitions of what it considers a “lens-based camera", and its rules for image manipulation.

According to the updated terms, denoising, object selection, and adjustments to levels, colors, and contrast are permitted in all categories. However, AI tools such as enlarging and sharpening with programs such as Adobe super-resolution and Topaz Photo AI are not.