Oh to have the confidence of ChatGPT

Accessibility, AI /

I was pondering about how you could use ChatGPT to help visually impaired people understand what images look like.

So I thought I’d ask it to tell me about some non-famous paintings.

The first painting ChatGPT described to me was Mary Cassatt’s The Rosebush. I’ve never heard of the artist before, so it’s a good start.

ChatGPT generated chat User: Can you tell me about a not so famous painting painted by a woman? ChatGPT: Certainly! One not so famous painting painted by a woman that I can describe for you is "The Rosebush" by the American artist Mary Cassatt. "The Rosebush" is an oil painting that depicts a lush and verdant garden scene, with a towering rosebush at the center of the composition. The bush is rendered in shades of pink, red, and green, with delicate blooms and intricate foliage that suggest a sense of life and vitality. In the foreground of the painting, a young girl sits on a garden bench, admiring the flowers with a look of wonder and joy on her face. Cassatt was known for her intimate and insightful depictions of women and children, and "The Rosebush" is no exception. The painting captures the innocence and wonder of childhood, as well as the beauty and complexity of the natural world. The rich, detailed textures of the rosebush and the garden surroundings demonstrate Cassatt's skill as a painter, while the composition as a whole suggests a sense of harmony and balance between humanity and nature. Overall, "The Rosebush" is a beautiful and evocative painting that showcases the talent and vision of Mary Cassatt, as well as her ability to capture the beauty and complexity of the world around us.

A solid description, and I have an image in my mind’s eye. I turn to Google to compare it to the image, and… it doesn’t exist. ChatGPT literally made up a painting for me. A plausible one given Mary Cassatt’s other works, but completely fictional.

Next try, I find the name of a painting, Drinka Pinta Milk (1962), and turn to ChatGPT again.

User: Describe the painting Drinka Pinta Milka. ChatGPT: "Drinka Pinta Milka" is a painting by the British artist Banksy, which depicts a black-and-white cow with a large pink spot on its side, standing in front of a bright blue background. Above the cow is the slogan "Drinka Pinta Milka Day," written in bold, white letters. The painting is a play on a famous advertising campaign for the British milk brand, the Milk Marketing Board, which used the slogan "Drinka Pinta Milka Day" in the 1970s and 1980s to encourage people to consume more milk. Banksy's version of the slogan, however, has been altered slightly, replacing the word "milk" with "pinta," which is a colloquial term for a pint of beer in some parts of the UK. As with much of Banksy's work, "Drinka Pinta Milka" is both humorous and subversive, using a familiar image and slogan to comment on consumer culture and the commodification of everyday life. The painting also draws attention to the plight of dairy cows, which are often subject to harsh conditions and treatment in the dairy industry. Overall, "Drinka Pinta Milka" is a thought-provoking and visually striking work that showcases Banksy's unique style and message-driven approach to art.

I’m pretty sure Banksy was not around in 1962. Maybe there’s two paintings with the same name?

No, ChatGPT. Banksy did not paint an image called Drinka Pinta Milk. Once again you’ve completely fabricated something.

One last try, this time give it the artist’s name (Derek Boshier) and date (1962). It describes a picture in great detail, I’ve got a fantastic image in my head:

ChatGPT generated chat: User How is the picture of the woman stylised? What are the colours like? ChatGPT In Derek Boshier's "Drinka Pinta Milka" painting, the image of the woman drinking a glass of milk is stylized in a few ways. Firstly, the woman's facial features are simplified, with her eyes and mouth represented by simple black shapes. Her hair is also depicted in a graphic, stylized manner, with bold black lines defining its shape and texture. Secondly, the colors used in the painting are quite bold and graphic. The background is made up of black and white stripes, which create a strong visual contrast with the woman's figure in the foreground. The woman herself is depicted in bright, flat colors, with her skin a solid shade of orange and her clothing a bold shade of blue. These bright, flat colors give the painting a graphic quality and add to its overall pop art aesthetic. Overall, Boshier's stylization of the woman in "Drinka Pinta Milka" gives the painting a bold, eye-catching quality that draws the viewer's attention and reinforces the painting's message about the consumption of milk as a healthy and desirable choice.

Got an image in your head?

You can see the actual painting here.

I wish I had the confidence of ChatGPT.  Although I’m not sure I could be that brazen.

On a serious note, I find it incredibly alarming at how much is going to be taken at face value, quoted and used to inform real decisions.

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