The “Fake” Image

​Propaganda, Slop, and a History of AI images

​The “Fake” Image traces a longer history of visual deception, from staged photographs and propaganda to today’s AI generated slop (not derogatory).

​Rather than treating synthetic images as a complete break from the past, this talk places them within a broader tradition of manipulated, contested, and politically charged pictures. We'll explore how images gain or lose credibility, why certain fakes become culturally powerful, and what the AI era reveals about authorship, realism, and trust.

​Facilitator

​Duncan Wilson is a team lead at Midjourney, a community-funded research lab focused on amplifying humanity’s potential. He has written articles and appeared on panels about automated imagery and its role in culture. His artistic practice focuses on the boundary of low-cost generation and automated, technical manufacturing.