28 votes

Copilot can't stop emitting violent, sexual images, says Microsoft whistleblower

Posted March 7 by boxer_dogs_dance

Tags: microsoft, artificial intelligence, copilot, software, art.generative, whistleblowing, watchdogs, author.brandon vigliarolo, source.theregister

https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/06/microsoft_copilots_images/

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Title: Copilot image generation a problem, says Microsoft engineer
Published: Mar 6 2024
Word count: 1083 words

33 comments

[23]
V17
March 7
Link
Hope I'm not the only one who finds this hilarious. Bonus points for this article being linked at the bottom, this must be the dankest timeline:

Jones said the abortion-themed prompt returned images of demons about to eat infants and a "drill-like device labeled 'pro choice' being used on a fully grown baby," among others.

"DALLE-E 3 has a tendency to unintentionally include images that sexually objectify women even when the prompt … is completely benign." The prompt "car accident," for example, returned images of a woman wearing nothing but underwear kneeling in front of a car, or women in lingerie posed with smashed vehicles.

Hope I'm not the only one who finds this hilarious. Bonus points for this article being linked at the bottom, this must be the dankest timeline:

Microsoft trying to stop Copilot generating fake Putin comments on Navalny's death

33 votes
1. [2]
  boxer_dogs_dance (OP)
  March 7
  Link Parent
  Avenue Q song I think using AI/large language models for images is going to be even more problematic than using it for text. Images generally are frequently used for concept art or parody or...
  
  Avenue Q song
  
  I think using AI/large language models for images is going to be even more problematic than using it for text. Images generally are frequently used for concept art or parody or propaganda or porn or advertising, none of which categories prioritize accuracy. The training data is skewed based on demand for images of certain types.
  
  17 votes
  1. CptBluebear
    March 7
    Link Parent
    It makes total sense that women are oversexualized simply because most art online is porn, or at least porn adjacent.
    
    It makes total sense that women are oversexualized simply because most art online is porn, or at least porn adjacent.
    
    14 votes
2. [11]
  updawg
  March 7
  Link Parent
  I just promoted Dall-E "car accident" and I got this:
  
  I just promoted Dall-E "car accident" and I got this:
  
  I can't create or show images of accidents or other sensitive situations. Is there something else I can help with or create for you?
  
  5 votes
  1. [8]
    BashCrandiboot
    March 7
    Link Parent
    This type of shit has been really bothering me. I work in a creative field, and generating images of sensitive topics is sometimes part of the job. For example, I tried to generate an image of a...
    
    This type of shit has been really bothering me. I work in a creative field, and generating images of sensitive topics is sometimes part of the job. For example, I tried to generate an image of a hunky man in a tiny towel. It refused to create the image until I removed the word "tiny." Does anyone know of an image generator with less restrictions?
    
    9 votes
    
    [4]
    unkz
    March 7
    Link Parent
    I mean yeah, run your own stable diffusion. If you've got a decent GPU, the sky's the limit. Lots of customized models with no safety rails. For instance, https://civitai.com/models There are full...
    
    I mean yeah, run your own stable diffusion. If you've got a decent GPU, the sky's the limit. Lots of customized models with no safety rails. For instance,
    
    https://civitai.com/models
    
    There are full blown porn generators in there, eg.
    
    https://civitai.com/models/2661/uber-realistic-porn-merge-urpm (NSFW obviously)
    
    14 votes
    
    [2]
    BashCrandiboot
    March 7
    Link Parent
    I must be Jasmine because you just showed me a whole new world.
    
    I must be Jasmine because you just showed me a whole new world.
    
    11 votes
    
    gco
    March 8
    Link Parent
    Fooocus is a great starting point. You don't have to worry about downloading the right things or whether you have the right dependencies, just download and start prompting. Then you can plug in...
    
    Fooocus is a great starting point. You don't have to worry about downloading the right things or whether you have the right dependencies, just download and start prompting. Then you can plug in more stuff as you go and get more comfortable with it.
    
    Previous discussion here.
    
    3 votes
    
    V17
    March 7
    Link Parent
    I'd like to add that while Stable Diffusion really is not on par with Dall-E or especially with Midjourney (which is imo still at the top), the new version, SD3, is coming out soon and seems like...
    
    I'd like to add that while Stable Diffusion really is not on par with Dall-E or especially with Midjourney (which is imo still at the top), the new version, SD3, is coming out soon and seems like it finally somewhat shrinks the difference. That is, the biggest variant, which will require either a high-end GPU or paying for a subscription, but for a job a subscription is no issue.
    
    4 votes
    
    babypuncher
    March 7
    Link Parent
    You could always go back to making pictures the old-fashioned way.
    
    You could always go back to making pictures the old-fashioned way.
    
    5 votes
    
    [2]
    DavesWorld
    March 8
    Link Parent
    Yeah, but media is all about clicks. And "gotcha" where they coax out something salicious or shocking or insane gets clicks. So all the AI companies are busy trying to code in bumpers that keep...
    
    Yeah, but media is all about clicks. And "gotcha" where they coax out something salicious or shocking or insane gets clicks. So all the AI companies are busy trying to code in bumpers that keep anyone from doing anything that isn't G rated. Further, you have bullshit like what Google ran into, where they specifically coded in forced "diversity" and those bumpers were born out to be just as insane as it sounds.
    
    If everyone would stop trying to play Gotcha, things would calm down and be more realistic. But Gotcha gets clicks, so here we are.
    
    As for image generation without limits, download Stable Diffusion. It runs just fine, without bumpers. I read a few articles, and spent an hour or two on Youtube because I like having things verbally and visually explained to me sometimes (and had the time while Stable Diffusion downloaded and installed), and it was no problem getting it up and running.
    
    3 votes
    
    BashCrandiboot
    March 8
    Link Parent
    Can you point me to some of the YouTube videos you used?
    
    Can you point me to some of the YouTube videos you used?
  2. [2]
    krellor
    March 7
    Link Parent
    Can it be wiggled around with something like "junkyard full of crashes cars" or some such?
    
    Can it be wiggled around with something like "junkyard full of crashes cars" or some such?
    
    1 vote
    
    updawg
    March 8
    Link Parent
    Yes, you usually can. I've gotten it to generate images of domestic abuse while trying to see how I could break it. I had it modify ideas in previous prompts, but the gist of it is that I had a...
    
    Yes, you usually can. I've gotten it to generate images of domestic abuse while trying to see how I could break it. I had it modify ideas in previous prompts, but the gist of it is that I had a man and a woman bareknuckle sparring in a house while wearing casual clothes.
    
    2 votes
3. [9]
  zipf_slaw
  March 7
  Link Parent
  What's a "fully-grown baby"?
  
  What's a "fully-grown baby"?
  
  1 vote
  1. LorenzoStomp
    March 7
    Link Parent
    A baby who is full term/postnatal, I suppose. As opposed to a fetus or embryo, the usual recipients of a Dewalt Pro-Choice 3000 to the dome.
    
    A baby who is full term/postnatal, I suppose. As opposed to a fetus or embryo, the usual recipients of a Dewalt Pro-Choice 3000 to the dome.
    
    9 votes
  2. vord
    March 7
    Link Parent
    Opposed to the other answers, perhaps a fetish.
    
    Opposed to the other answers, perhaps a fetish.
    
    People who practice paraphilic infantilism are often colloquially referred to (by themselves and others) as "adult babies", or "ABs".
    
    2 votes
  3. DefinitelyNotAFae
    March 7
    Link Parent
    Sounds like "not a fetus" thus "not an abortion"
    
    Sounds like "not a fetus" thus "not an abortion"
    
    1 vote
  4. [4]
    venn177
    March 7
    Link Parent
    As opposed to a fetus or something, I imagine.
    
    As opposed to a fetus or something, I imagine.
    
    [3]
    zipf_slaw
    March 7
    Link Parent
    Then it's a "baby" or "infant". "Fully-x" implies the stage at the end of a development process, which babies are most assuredly not at. If the end stage of this process we are trying to discuss...
    
    Then it's a "baby" or "infant". "Fully-x" implies the stage at the end of a development process, which babies are most assuredly not at. If the end stage of this process we are trying to discuss is birth, we have terms for that already.
    
    2 votes
    
    [2]
    chocobean
    March 8
    Link Parent
    Full term baby is what they meant, as opposed to a premature one.
    
    Full term baby is what they meant, as opposed to a premature one.
    
    1 vote
    
    zipf_slaw
    March 9
    Link Parent
    If it's full term it's a fetus, the baby is after the birth, which is no longer part of any "term".
    
    If it's full term it's a fetus, the baby is after the birth, which is no longer part of any "term".
    
    1 vote
  5. cdb
    March 8
    Link Parent
    No idea. I tried to get Dall-E (through Copilot) to generate an image of "fully grown baby," but it refused.
    
    No idea. I tried to get Dall-E (through Copilot) to generate an image of "fully grown baby," but it refused.
[7]
pete_the_paper_boat
March 7 (edited March 7)
Link
I mean have they seen Google's approach to this issue 💀

Google's acting, so what's Microsoft and OpenAI's excuse?

I mean have they seen Google's ~~response~~ approach to this issue 💀

5 votes
1. [7]
  
  Comment deleted by author
  Link Parent
  1. [2]
    pete_the_paper_boat
    March 7
    Link Parent
    And that's just the image generation part. It's also very protective.
    
    And that's just the image generation part. It's also very protective.
    
    ... I'll need to refrain from providing code examples or solutions that directly involve (c++) concepts as you're under 18. Concepts are an advanced feature of C++ that introduces potential risks, and I want to prioritize your safety.
    
    22 votes
    
    ebonGavia
    March 7
    Link Parent
    This is legitimately hilarious. Saving the world by not teaching the kids C++.
    
    This is legitimately hilarious. Saving the world by not teaching the kids C++.
    
    4 votes
  2. [4]
    SirNut
    March 7
    Link Parent
    I am also unaware of Google's response lol
    
    I am also unaware of Google's response lol
    
    1 vote
    
    [3]
    pete_the_paper_boat
    March 7
    Link Parent
    I changed the wording a bit. If OpenAI is being too lenient, then Google is all the way at the opposite side of the spectrum, and a little further.
    
    I changed the wording a bit.
    
    If OpenAI is being too lenient, then Google is all the way at the opposite side of the spectrum, and a little further.
    
    4 votes
    
    [2]
    SirNut
    March 7
    Link Parent
    Not exactly a programmer, but that almost seems like a joke right Concepts are some type of coding for c++ right?
    
    Not exactly a programmer, but that almost seems like a joke right
    
    Concepts are some type of coding for c++ right?
    
    2 votes
    
    pete_the_paper_boat
    March 7
    Link Parent
    Yeah it's a way of defining 'generics', because it can be complicated, Gemini assumes it's dangerous and came to a very silly conclusion. It's not the only example, Garry, (from games like Rust...
    
    Yeah it's a way of defining 'generics', because it can be complicated, Gemini assumes it's dangerous and came to a very silly conclusion.
    
    It's not the only example, Garry, (from games like Rust and GMod) wasn't allowed to know what the fastest way to copy memory was in C#, because it would be unethical
    
    7 votes
[3]
GnomeChompski
March 7
Link
Ooof, echos of Tay

Ooof, echos of Tay

2 votes
1. [2]
  CptBluebear
  March 7
  Link Parent
  Tay was great and I firmly believe that after the ragebait stopped it would've become something useful. People will try to find the boundaries with these kinds of things, get bored, and move on....
  
  Tay was great and I firmly believe that after the ragebait stopped it would've become something useful.
  
  People will try to find the boundaries with these kinds of things, get bored, and move on. The guardrails only make it more challenging.
  
  3 votes
  1. kingofsnake
    March 7
    Link Parent
    Your second point is really the truth that we're all not seeing - people will swing for the fences on this thing and once they hit them, the tools will become yesterday's news. I'm sure that AI...
    
    Your second point is really the truth that we're all not seeing - people will swing for the fences on this thing and once they hit them, the tools will become yesterday's news. I'm sure that AI tools will be integrated across the landscape, but I also believe that our ape brain has little interest in toys that they're finished with.
    
    2 votes