In the realm of captivating stories involving Artificial Intelligence, the recent uproar revolves around representations of US states and the concept of the “average person.”
AI technology has been pushing boundaries lately, showcasing its ability to bring famous cartoons to life and generate remarkably realistic food images.
Now, the focus is on determining what the AI deems as the embodiment of an “average person.”
While we all know there is no true standard for an “average person,” there are stereotypes, fashion trends, and local customs that seem to have influenced the AI’s creative process when generating images of individuals representing specific US states.
A Reddit user posted a series of AI-generated images on the subreddit r/midjourney, each labeled as the “most stereotypical person in [state name].”
Presumably, these captions represented the prompts given to the AI program.
The chosen states included Texas, California, Colorado, Florida, Oregon, and Maine. The outcomes of this experiment are undeniably intriguing.
Beginning with Texas, we encounter a man dressed in cowboy-style attire, complete with a sizable cowboy hat, a brown shirt tucked into blue jeans, and a wide belt buckle.
Credit: Reddit/u/NeutronicTachyon
California takes us into a world of flower power, with the AI rendering a person with long, flowing hair, sporting oversized sunglasses and a floral shirt.
Credit: Reddit/u/NeutronicTachyon
Meanwhile, in Colorado, attention shifts to a woman perched on what appears to be a mountaintop, surrounded by plants. She wears a green hoodie, a headband, and holds a smoking joint.
Credit: Reddit/u/NeutronicTachyon
Though I’m uncertain how common it is for people to hike up weed-covered mountains for a smoke in Colorado, the AI seems to think so.
Next, we venture to Florida, where a man with a long white beard stands by the road, clad in lengthy blue shorts, a loose pink shirt, and a sunhat.
Credit: Reddit/u/NeutronicTachyon
Our journey then takes us to Oregon, where a woman with short, silvery-blue hair catches our eye.
Credit: Reddit/u/NeutronicTachyon
The most dramatic twist awaits us in Maine, a state known for its lobsters. Representing this, our AI-generated character dons a hat featuring an actual lobster perched on top. While I cannot speak to how “average” this depiction may be, having never visited Maine myself, it certainly makes for a distinctive image.
The AI-generated pictures have elicited mixed responses online. Some outraged Reddit users claim that the original poster intentionally used unflattering prompts for the states associated with conservative politics. Another individual, unimpressed by the lobster-themed depiction of Maine, commented, “Hi. Maine here. Can you not put dead lobsters all over everything? K thx.”
Nevertheless, the creations have piqued curiosity, with many viewers expressing interest in seeing more AI-generated images representing additional states.
