AI Generated Images are Making Me Sick

and I don't know how I can stop feeling this way!

I realize AI is here to stay and cannot ever be avoided no matter how hard I try. But I also cannot deny the illness I feel whenever I see images created using Midjourney or any other equivalent.

I first noticed something was happening to me when I knew the image was generated and my eyes couldn’t quite focus on it. I couldn’t not see the parts of it that were clearly wrong. And I’m not talking about its inability to display legible words. I means hands, eyes, glasses, folds in articles of clothing. Once you see it it becomes more and more difficult to unsee.

But then what was easily noticeable manifested into something else entirely. Now, whether it’s clearly marked as AI generated, or not, I know that it is because I feel a queasiness. It starts in the out of my stomach. And the longer I stare at the image the faster it moves up to my throat. I have tested this and stared at an AI generated image long enough that I was brought to a full on gag reflex. 

I know. I know. It sounds ridiculous. But I swear it’s true. And I’ve spent the last several months since I discovered this was happening to me to try and condition myself to just “get over it.” Because, as I said in the beginning: I know AI is here to stay.

I hoped that as AI images “got better” with blurring the lines between what is real and what is generated that my queasy feelings would dissipate but they just haven’t.

This has left me forced to just avoid them as much as I can for now until I just get over it! And I hope I do quickly cause I’m not a fan of feeling sick every time I’m trying to read something someone wrote.

Unfortunately, this means I’ve been forced to unsubscribe or unfollow people who rely on AI images for their work. This upsets no one more than me. But whenever I see it in my timeline or an email story, I instantly get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and I can no longer focus on the story that follows the way I would like.

I will continue to attempt to use AI generated images and force myself to look at those created by others, in moderation, in the hopes that I’ll eventually stop feeling this way.

I’m sure I’m alone in these reactions I’m having to AI generated images, but in case you feel some sort of even uneasiness whenever you see these images, please do share in the comments so that I don’t feel so alone in this.