Artists criticize Apple's lack of transparency around Apple Intelligence data

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the concerns raised by members of the creative community regarding Apple's lack of transparency around the data used to train its generative AI model, Apple Intelligence, which will be released on Apple devices later this year.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Concerns about Apple's Generative AI

1. What are the main concerns raised by creatives about Apple's generative AI?

• Creatives are unhappy about Apple's lack of transparency in how it collected the training data for its generative AI model, Apple Intelligence.
• Artists, authors, and musicians have accused generative AI companies of using their work without consent or compensation to train their models.
• Some creatives had hoped that Apple would approach the ethics conversation around generative AI differently, but the company has revealed very little about the source of the training data for Apple Intelligence.
• Apple has only said that it uses publicly available data from the open web, but creatives argue that "publicly available" does not automatically mean fair use.
• There are concerns that Apple only offers an option to opt out of having one's data used for training after the models have already been trained on that data.

2. How do creatives feel about Apple's approach compared to other generative AI companies?

• Creatives are frustrated that Apple's approach to gathering training data for its generative AI appears little different from its competitors, despite the company's reputation for being more privacy-focused.
• Some creatives had hoped that Apple would be more transparent and ethical in its approach, but the company has revealed very little about the source of the training data for Apple Intelligence.
• There is a growing feeling among creatives that Apple is becoming "just like the rest of them" - a giant corporation prioritizing its bottom line over the interests of the people who use its products.

3. What are the specific concerns about Apple's data collection practices?

• Apple has said it uses its own web crawler, AppleBot, to gather publicly available data from the open web to train its generative AI models.
• However, creatives argue that "publicly available" does not automatically mean the data was obtained through fair use, and that companies should not be able to profit from using creative works without consent or compensation.
• There are also concerns that Apple only offers an opt-out option for its data collection after the models have already been trained, rather than allowing people to opt out beforehand.
• Technologically, it's unclear how or if requests to remove information from generative AI models can even be honored.

[02] Impact on the Creative Community

1. How have creatives responded to Apple's announcement of its generative AI capabilities?

• Creatives, who have historically been some of Apple's most loyal customers, are frustrated and disillusioned by the company's lack of transparency around the data used to train its generative AI model.
• Many creatives, including artists, photographers, and sculptors, have accused generative AI companies of using their work without consent or compensation to train their models, leading to multiple lawsuits.
• Some creatives had hoped that Apple would approach the ethics conversation around generative AI differently, but the company's practices appear little different from its competitors.

2. What are the broader implications for the creative community?

• The outrage against Apple is part of a larger sense of betrayal among creative professionals against tech companies whose tools they depend on to do their jobs.
• Recent revelations about other companies, such as Adobe using questionably-sourced images to train its own generative AI model, have further eroded the trust of the creative community in the tech industry.
• Creatives feel that the entire creative community has been betrayed by the software companies they have trusted, and some are considering cutting back on their use of Apple products as a result.

3. How do creatives view the impact of generative AI on their work and livelihoods?

• Creatives see generative AI as "the greatest heist in the history of human intellect," as it allows companies to profit from using creative works without consent or compensation.
• There are concerns that the widespread use of generative AI could have a significant impact on the entertainment industry and the livelihoods of creative professionals.
• Creatives argue that the "publicly available" data used to train these models does not automatically translate to fair use, and that companies should not be able to profit from using creative works without the consent of the creators.