In the black-and-white image, two women tightly cradle each other–and an octopus. Humans don't hug cephalopods every day, so how did photographer Annika Nordenskiöld manage to capture the highly unusual sight? You guessed it. With the help of AI.at the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, an Australian photography festival running through October 22. The competition is believed to be one of the first, if not the first, AI-art award.
Unlike the state fair competition, Ballarat International Foto Biennale explicitly solicited AI-generated work for its first Prompted Peculiar contest, receiving more than 100 submissions from around the world, including Germany, Israel and all over Australia. The jury shortlisted 20 of those works, including “A Friend in Need” by visual artist. The image shows a kangaroo with a human-like arm standing upright and embracing an alien-looking creature in a rainy, muddy field.