First of all i am not proposing, as far as I know Steve has not licensed this site nor has he been approached by any AI compnay. I thought about question after hearing that Reddit had an IPO and the value of the social media site was based upon the value that AI learnings that could be gleaned from the site.
Now what about this site? Great place to learn photography - granted that is narrow area for AI to learn but BCG forums could be an excellent want for AI to learn about photography and possible learn to evaluate images.
Like to your thoughts on this. Again I have no knowledge whether or not Steve has even considered licensing the site for AI learning, I have NOT dug into the licensing terms, I do not know if any AI company has approached Steve. So consider this a fun discussion, how would you feel if you learned, either by Steve announcing it or from another source, that BCG forums was being used to training AI models in photography, in particular wildlife photography.
Please do not get mad at Steve, he has not done anything as far as I know, and I would like to have other's share their thoughts as I have mixed feelings about this.
My thoughts will be on the next msg
My opinion.
The subject of AI is dynamic, complex as well as in cases somewhat still green fruit on the vine............the benefits or consequences will over time be clearer, Steve will adapt i feel fairly and quickly if needed.
Its Steve's site, i believe he is ethical reasonable and intelligent, above all he has no BS about him.
If someone doesn't like things or agree they have the option to move on, quietly.
I completely rely on his judgement in making appropriate calls if and when needed to address any matters arising be they commercial or ethical or AI.
As to making money, i never deny anyone from that right, sadly with the internet you need to adapt and go with the flow as things change if you don't adapt quickly you will be left behind, so if you want to survive or grow you need to GO with change decisively and quickly, if the call is AI that is the new influencer so be it, if its not AI it will be something else, what ever it is you need to act and adapt quickly or pass it by, this is also my personal experience.
Of course the way money is made does matter to most people but not to all people, i feel Steve is more than capable of knowing whats right or wrong or what his needs are.
Bottom line, its Steve's call to do what ever he thinks is appropriate, its his site, its the audience that changes, if we don't like something we can say something or move on quietly.
If you posted images on BCF then as long as you know before posting that AI may have the right to use part or all of the image is still your option to say yes or no before you post, if its no don't post it on the BCF or any site, simple. If commercial matters are applicable then it be so, this is the green fruit i am referring to that needs time to be understood or evolve clearly.
Any image being used by AI we know how to handle that. Policing it is whats required and hard or is it even possible to do so reliably, the laws are still thin.
I recall possibly ? Sony developing something to offer the protecting of images or files from AI ? in camera, not certain.
AGAIN, for BCF its Steve call,
if he doesn't make money and adapt he wont be here like many others, simple.
happy days.
Only an opinion