ChatGPT Caught Putting Signatures of Real Cartoonists on AI-Generated Comics

In a surreal turn of events, ChatGPT has been caught putting the signatures of real cartoonists on AI-generated comics. When a cartoon tribute to the recently deceased Dolly Parton and Tim Curry went viral, New Yorker cartoonist Brendan Loper noticed his signature, "BLOPER," in the bottom corner. However, it was clear that he had nothing to do with the creation of the cartoon.

Loper shared his surprise and surreal experience with Nieman Lab. This is not the first time ChatGPT has credited Loper for AI-generated content; in May, someone had warned him about another image with his name on it. ChatGPT seems to have a penchant for impersonating New Yorker cartoonists in general, as images with signatures of artists such as Harry Bliss, Emily Flake, Joe Dator, Pat Byrnes, Peter Vey, and Jason Adam Katzenstein have also been found.

Loper expressed his frustration, stating that his name is a violation of his personhood. The issue of AI models being trained on a vast corpus of writing, images, videos, and artworks without permission adds another layer of complexity to the legal implications of this infringement. Loper emphasized the importance of his signature as the certificate of authenticity for his work, stating that it represents his brand and personal mark.

This incident not only highlights the theft of artwork, but also the mockery of artists by presenting their names alongside the disturbing content produced by AI models.