LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Every year, photographers enter their work at the Kentucky State Fair for a chance to win a ribbon.
But this year, some of the winning entries are raising questions about whether artificial intelligence was used to create them.
According to the Kentucky State Fair photography competition rulebook, all entries must be "the original work of the entrant." However, it does not specifically address the use of AI.Â
Fair officials said they do not believe any entries to be AI generated. But, they are working on ways to make sure no AI photos get entered in future competitions.
To some fairgoers browsing the winning photographs this year, though, a few of those photos just don't look real.
"It just kind of looks off and weird," Morgan Delaney said.
Others pointed to the sharp details, bright colors and glossy look of some of the photos, making them look "too perfect."
Some fairgoers are questioning whether AI was used in winning photography entries at the Kentucky State Fair. (WDRB Photo)
Some fairgoers are questioning whether AI was used in winning photography entries at the Kentucky State Fair. (WDRB Photo)
"They kind of look like they would be too good to be real," Nolan Dresel said.
Delaney had a similar reaction.
"Some of the ones with like people or like animals kind of have a gloss to it," he said.
WDRB put some of the questioned photos through an AI detection tool. The tool also uses AI and can be inaccurate, so the results don't necessarily prove whether a photo was AI-generated.
But the tool flagged some entries as possibly AI-generated, including some that won ribbons.
Some fairgoers are questioning whether AI was used in winning photography entries at the Kentucky State Fair. (WDRB Photo)
"The entire point of it is to show you're doing effort, but with AI it kind of like negates that," Delaney said.
The discussion has made its way into online photography groups as well.
In the Louisville Photographic Society Facebook group, members also questioned some of the winning entries. People debated whether the photos used AI or were heavily edited.
A photographer who submitted her work responded to one of those posts, saying she used two editing apps and that she was "new to all of it."
"I used Photoshop and Lightroom," the person wrote. "I like the way my photos turn out and I am learning."
WDRB reached out to other photographers whose work has been questioned but has not heard back.
There's no confirmation that any of the photos were created using AI. Delaney said it's hard to know for sure just by looking.
"They seem AI, but I can't really tell fully," he said.
Still, many fairgoers said they don't think AI-generated work should be allowed in the competition.
"It's kind of taking away from all the other people who try hard," another fairgoer said.
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