“Have I Been Trained?” It’s a question that echoes in the minds of artists and creators as they watch the relentless march of generative AI tools. As these AI engines continue to devour vast chunks of web content that we’ve shared online, the nagging feeling that your work might have been unwittingly conscripted for this digital army grows stronger. In the absence of a soothing cream for this itch, what if we told you there’s a digital shield, a guardian that can stand between your artistic creations and the all-seeing eyes of AI?
Meet the “Have I Been Trained?” – a website that not only identifies if an AI has ‘stolen’ your work but also empowers you to fight back against the ever-evolving landscape of AI art. Let’s delve into this virtual fortress that offers protection in a world where pixels and algorithms dance together, often at the expense of artistic ownership.
Explained: Have I Been Trained
“Have I Been Trained” is a website designed to address the growing concern of artists and content creators who worry that their work may have been used without permission to train generative AI models. These AI models, which create art, images, and even text, rely on vast datasets to learn and mimic the style and content of the data they are trained on. This has raised ethical and copyright concerns, as many artists are discovering that their creations have been utilized to teach AI systems, often without their knowledge or consent.
The primary function of “Have I Been Trained” is to allow individuals to check whether their art or photos have been used as part of the training data for text-to-image generative AI tools. By simply entering their name or relevant details, users can determine if their work has been employed in this manner. The website provides transparency by displaying the art and images that have been scraped or used in AI training.
In addition to identification, “Have I Been Trained” offers an ‘opt-out’ tool. This tool allows individuals to request that their work be excluded from the training data of generative AI tools. However, it’s important to note that anything used prior to opting out remains in the AI model’s dataset.
This website serves as a powerful resource for artists and content creators, helping them to monitor and protect their intellectual property in an increasingly AI-driven world. It is a practical step toward ensuring that creators are informed and have some degree of control over how their work is utilized in AI training.
How to use Have I Been Trained
Using “Have I Been Trained” is a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use this website:
- Access the website: Start by visiting the “Have I Been Trained” website. You can typically find it by searching for the website name on your preferred search engine or by entering the URL directly into your web browser.
- Input your information: Once on the website, you’ll see a text box or a form. Here’s where you need to enter your name or relevant details. This information is crucial for the tool to identify if your work has been used to train AI models.
- Submit Your Query: After entering your information, click the relevant button or link to submit your query. The website will then process your request.
- Review the results: The website will provide you with results based on your query. It will inform you whether your art or photos have been used to train text-to-image generative AI tools. If your work has been identified in the training data, the website may display the art and images that have been scraped.
- Consider the ‘opt-out’ option: “Have I Been Trained” may also offer an ‘opt-out’ tool or instructions on how to prevent your work from being used in future AI training data. If you wish to protect your creations from being further utilized by AI, follow the provided guidelines to opt-out.
Researchers at @Northeastern Bau Lab (@davidbau) have found a promising method for removing concepts from AI models.
This is exciting research that may enable artists to opt out of already trained models!
We are partnering to help collect a list of artists to remove in a study
— Spawning (@spawning_) September 19, 2023
- Take necessary action: Depending on the results and your preferences, you can decide on the appropriate course of action. If your work has been used without your consent, you may consider taking further steps to protect your intellectual property, such as contacting the parties responsible or seeking legal advice.
Remember that while “Have I Been Trained” can provide important insights into the use of your work in AI training, it might not be the final solution to all related issues. It is, however, a valuable tool for artists and content creators to maintain transparency and assert some level of control over the use of their creations in the world of AI.
Featured image credit: Google DeepMind/Unsplash
