Artificial Intelligence

: Miki G.; > Artificial Intelligence; > 18 September 2023

Italian startups are making their entry into the United States, and cities like Boston and New York are increasingly becoming the main stage for highly prominent events in the field of innovation and investment. One of these resonant events is "Primo Innovare 2023", organized by 42N Advisors, an association made up of over twenty Italian experts in the entrepreneurial, academic and professional sectors, rooted in the United States for many years, with the aim of bringing together the best Italian startups with a group of prominent American investors. The prestigious event will be held at the Italian Consulate in New York on September 12 and at the Italian Consulate in Boston on September 14, 2023.

The importance of human instinct:

False images can surprise us when they contrast with what we know to be true. We must pay attention to strange details or inconsistencies that can reveal the synthetic nature of an image. The first rule is to take the time to carefully analyze an image before sharing or retweeting it, to avoid spreading false content.

Telltale artifacts and signs:

AI-generated images may have artifacts or flaws that are easily identifiable upon closer inspection. For example, in deepfake videos, people may not blink properly. The seams of the images may reveal discrepancies or anomalies, such as sleeves that blend with the skin color. Paying attention to details like hair, glasses, headwear, jewelry, and backgrounds can help spot potential fake images.

Faking hands and eyes:

Images created by artificial intelligence often fail to realistically reproduce human hands. They may have the wrong number of toes or unnatural positions. The eyes are also an important element to observe. People's pupils are usually circular in shape, while artificial intelligence can produce unrealistic shadows or reflections. Looking closely at the hands and eyes of a person in the image can reveal any abnormalities.

Difficulty dealing with lighting and physical laws:

AI can have a hard time handling lighting, shadows and the laws of physics correctly. If an image has reflective surfaces, windows, or objects that interact with light, there may be discrepancies in shadows or lighting. Synthetic images may appear smooth and lack the roughness typical of real images. Observing any distortions in the image, such as curved objects or jagged edges, may be a sign of forgery.
However, more sophisticated and reliable tools are needed to address the threat of AI-generated false images. Google Reverse Image Search can be useful for widely circulated images, but lesser-known or unique images may require professional AI detection services offered by specialist companies like Reality Defender.

Some studies at the University of California at Berkeley suggest watermarks or other markings that identify computer-generated images. This would make it possible to trace the origin of the images and hold the creators of artificial intelligence responsible for their misuse.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to develop free and affordable AI detection programs and tools that can detect the "signature" of AI-generated images. These tools should be able to identify distinctive features of synthetic images and provide a detailed analysis of their authenticity.
It is important that cybersecurity organizations, technology companies and industry experts work together to develop effective solutions that protect people from misinformation and manipulation. Additionally, efforts to educate the public about the existence and potential threats of AI-generated synthetic images are critical to increasing awareness and resilience against such attacks.

The battle against artificial intelligence-generated fake images is ongoing, but with technological advancement and expert engagement, it is possible to significantly mitigate this threat. Cybersecurity remains an ever-evolving challenge, but through collaboration and innovation, we can work towards greater protection and reliability in the digital age.

: Silvia S.; > Artificial Intelligence; > 25 May 2023

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought remarkable advances in multiple fields, including the generation of images and illustrations. One of the cutting edge technologies in this industry is MidJourney, a powerful AI image generator that uses advanced algorithms to create visually stunning works of art.

Generation based on neural networks

Midjourney uses a Generative Neural Network (GAN) to create unique and realistic images. GANs consist of two main components: the generator and the discriminator. The generator is responsible for creating the images, while the discriminator evaluates the authenticity of the generated images. Through an iterative learning process, the generator and discriminator improve each other, until reaching a high level of quality and realism in the generated images.

Supervised and unsupervised learning

Midjourney uses both supervised learning and unsupervised learning to improve the quality of the generated images. In supervised learning, the AI model is trained using a dataset of existing images with matching labels. This allows the generator to learn from the examples provided and create images that respect certain styles, themes or specific characteristics. In unsupervised learning, the generator explores the data set and creates images without predefined constraints, enabling the generation of more innovative and original artworks.

Style transfer

One of Midjourney's distinguishing features is its ability to transfer style from an input image to a newly generated image. This process, known as style transfer, allows you to create artwork that combines visual elements from different sources. By learning the stylistic characteristics of reference images and applying those characteristics to new creations, Midjourney can produce unique works that reflect specific artistic styles.

Transferring styles offers a wide range of creative possibilities. It can be used to create artistic reinterpretations of existing images, apply a famous artist's style to new creations, or even combine different styles to generate unique works of art. Style transfer is based on the idea that the style of an image is represented by its distinctive visual characteristics, such as textures, colors, contours and shapes. By learning the stylistic characteristics of a reference image, the style transfer algorithm can apply those characteristics to a new image, giving it the same style as the reference image.

The style transfer process generally follows these steps:

Feature extraction: The AI algorithm uses a pre-trained convolutional neural network to extract stylistic features from the reference image. These features are often represented by activation maps that describe the textures, colors, and shapes present in the reference image.

Feature Match: The features extracted from the reference image are compared to the features of the target image. The goal is to find a match between the two images in terms of style.

Feature application: Once the feature has been matched, the algorithm applies the stylistic features of the reference image to the target image. This may include applying textures, colors and outlines that reflect the desired style.

Refinement and Blending: The image generated via Style Transfer can undergo further refinement and blending with the target image to achieve a visually coherent and harmonious result. This process may involve adjusting hues, focusing on particular details, or removing unwanted artifacts.

MidJourney leverages this style transfer technique to allow users to customize and shape the generated images according to their artistic tastes and preferences, opening up new creative horizons and enabling visually appealing and unique results.

Iterations and refinements

MidJourney employs an iterative process to continuously improve the quality of the images it generates. Developers are constantly working on optimizing AI algorithms, model training and image processing. Thus, through a combination of human feedback and automatic adaptations, MidJourney continues to refine its generation process to guarantee ever more surprising results.

: Silvia S.; > Artificial Intelligence; > 18 May 2023

Midjourney is a Discord channel that stands out for its ability to produce stunning visuals using written command prompts. Thanks to the use of an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system, Midjourney is able to generate detailed and often realistic illustrations. However, the use of this technology also raises important questions regarding its Cyber Security implications, particularly regarding the creation of fakes and deepfakes.

Creating amazing images

Midjourney leverages AI to interpret commands written by users and translate them into images. This ability to generate rich and detailed images has led to remarkable results, allowing users to view their prompts. In addition, Midjourney has demonstrated a marked ability to create illustrations that appear to have been created by human artists, generating great interest and appreciation in the community.

Implications in Cyber Security

Despite the benefits and excitement of Midjourney's creativity, there are some important cybersecurity implications that need to be considered.

Creating forgeries. Midjourney's ability to produce realistic images can be used to create convincing fakes. This could be exploited by malicious individuals to deceive people, spread disinformation or manipulate information. For example, false images of events or people may be created that appear to be authentic, but are actually artificially generated.

Deepfakes. The concept of deepfakes refers to the digital manipulation of audio, video or image content to create a false representation of a person or event. Midjourney, with its ability to generate realistic images, could be used to create convincing deepfakes. This raises serious reputational and security risks, as such content can be used for fraud, defamation or blackmail purposes.

Online identity manipulation. Midjourney's creation of detailed and realistic images could be exploited to manipulate a person's online identity. False or manipulated images could be used to create false profiles or to alter an individual's image, compromising their reputation or violating their privacy.

Positive aspects of this technology

Creative potential. Midjourney offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore new forms of artistic and creative expression. Artists and designers can use this technology to broaden their creative horizons, experiment with different styles and approaches, and create original and innovative works of art.

Efficiency and speed. This technology can reduce the time and energy required to create complex illustrations. Thanks to its ability to generate detailed images in a short time, this technology can improve the efficiency and productivity of artists, allowing them to focus on other creative pursuits.

Research and development. Midjourney could find applications in the creative industries, such as animation, product design, architecture, and more. The illustrations generated by Midjourney can be used for prototypes, concept art, storyboards and 3D visualizations, adding value and accelerating the development process.

Education and training. In the context of training, it proves to be an interesting educational tool for teaching artistic principles, illustration and design techniques. Students can benefit from access to a wide variety of styles and designs created by Midjourney, providing them with an inspiration and starting point for their own artwork.

Technological innovation. Using technologies like Midjourney drives innovation in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Research and development to improve the ability to generate realistic images can lead to significant advances in other areas, such as image recognition, generative graphics and image processing.

Development of defense solutions. Midjourney and similar technologies can be used to develop defense solutions against image manipulation and deepfakes. Analyzing the images generated by Midjourney can help create algorithms and models to identify and combat fake or manipulated content.

Reflection on the cybersecurity aspect

The emergence of technologies such as Midjourney requires an in-depth reflection on issues related to Cyber Security: in fact, it is essential to adopt adequate protection measures to mitigate the risks associated with the improper use of this technology. It is important to educate users about the existence of technologies like Midjourney and the possible implications in Cyber Security. Users must be aware of the risks associated with image manipulation and the possible misuse of this technology. In this sense, adequate awareness can help prevent abuse and at the same time promote the ethical use of these technologies. Furthermore, given Midjourney's ability to create realistic images, it becomes essential to implement verification and authentication tools and techniques. For example, the use of watermarks, metadata or digital signature algorithms could help identify images produced by Midjourney and verify their authenticity.

Also from the point of view of research, it therefore appears necessary to increase and deepen the development of tools and technologies for the detection of images generated by Artificial Intelligence with the implementation of image analysis algorithms that can help to identify signs of manipulation or forgery and to identify deepfakes. Finally, it is clear that the fight against abuses of technologies such as Midjourney requires close collaboration between industry, cybersecurity experts and governments. It is essential to share information on emerging threats, develop security standards and define appropriate regulatory policies.

Conclusions

Midjourney, with its ability to create stunning and lifelike images, represents a major step forward in digital creativity. However, it is essential to address the implications this technology can have on Cyber Security. The creation of forgeries and the ability to generate deepfakes require increased awareness, verification and authentication measures, ongoing research, and joint collaboration between industry and governments. Only through such efforts will it be possible to guarantee the ethical and safe use of technologies such as Midjourney in the digital society.

: Miki G.; > Artificial Intelligence; > 02 March 2023

The great success that ChatGpt, the model developed by OpenAI based on machine learning, made available for free upon simple registration, prompted cyber criminals to seize a new opportunity to spread viruses on PCs.