This presentation delves into the speculated impact of AI-generated images on ethnographic practice. Navigating through the data privacy challenges associated with sharing respondent photos with clients, AI-generated images offer a unique medium for documenting and creating ethnographic imagery within a business context. However, this innovation introduces a new form of friction: where should the boundary be drawn between authentic representation and manipulation of reality? And what implications might this have on our practice at large? This presentation aspires to initiate a dialogue, encouraging practitioners to contemplate their role in adopting this technology.
Enya Trenholm-Jensen is an anthropologist and cognitive semiotician at Gemic, where she works on projects across industries, from CPG to social technology. Her original research, including topics such as soft power and subcultures, has honed her ability to translate complexity into coherence. Enya.trenholm-jensen@gemic.com