Honors

Placed first in an AI artwork creation event. This competition is an artwork creation event leveraging generative artificial intelligence and requiring advanced prompt engineering skills. I placed first place out of over 200 participants, where only five received awards.

To create an artwork promoting AI ethics, I began by researching the concept in depth. As a computer science student, I learned about ethical considerations during development, such as minimizing data bias and respecting data privacy, particularly regarding the extend AI developers can utilize. However, in creating this artwork, I chose to focus more on the user’s responsibility, as ethical AI usage is equally crucial.

An incident in South Korea, where deepfake technology was misused to edit non-consenting women into illegal sexual contexts, strongly resonated with me. This event underscored the urgent need for ethical AI usage, so I decided to focus on this aspect for my artwork, highlighting the importance of using technology responsibly, ethically, and with respect for others' rights.

Using the competition’s theme of “Fairy Tale,” I utilized a Korean traditional fairy tale named “흥부와 놀부 (Heungbu and Nolbu)." The original retelling centers on the two sons of a rich man: Heungbu, a kind and empathetic person who acts morally even in difficult situations, and Nolbu, a greedy and selfish brother who steals the brothers’ entire inheritance. The story unfolds as Heungbu heals a swallow's broken leg, who conveys his gratitude with gourd seeds that provide great fortune. Envious of his brother, Nolbu attempts to replicate this success by breaking a swallow’s leg to heal. This results in his diving punishment. A significant marker in Korean cultural folktale, the tale conveys the moral lesson that "good people are rewarded, while the greedy are punished." Focusing on the scene where Heungbu treats the bird’s leg, I changed the bird to bring AI, conveying how the AI’s users create the positive and negative impacts of this technology on others.

Then, I tested several generative AI tools to identify the best one for my project. Generative AI options like DALL-E 3, Midjourney, and Microsoft Designer each have unique capabilities, particularly in image creation. I chose Microsoft Designer as my primary tool because of its superior ability to render high-quality, realistic depictions of humans compared to other options. To ensure precise outcomes, I also learned about prompt engineering, a technique that involved crafting detailed instructions for AI to yield optimal results. While it may seem straightforward, creating an accurate image source can take 3+ hours to simply express my intention. After I created the image using AI, I combined each image to create a cohesive artwork through Photoshop. I meticulously adjusted the colors to contrast kindness and malevolence, aiming to delicately express the characters’ distinctive characteristics. The process itself was challenging, yet enjoyable for me as I loved merging AI and Photoshop to bring my vision to life.

I was awarded first place in the competition as the judges not only enjoyed my reimagining of a traditional Korean folktale but also appreciated my application of prompt engineering skills to order an AI. In addition, during the award ceremony, I had the opportunity to view other participants’ work, a memorable experience that allowed me to see the diverse creations regarding ethical concepts through AI. Following the ceremony, I was invited to the opening of the AI Museum in South Korea. The exhibition was captivating as it showcased interesting technologies such as conversational AI robots, drawing robots that recognize faces, and robotic dogs with capabilities for search-and-rescue operations.

As a student aspiring to be a data scientist, ethics is paramount when handling and understanding people’s data. Data that is not inclusive or causes harm to others eventually fails to advance humanity. Consequently, this experience has reinforced the importance of ethical AI use for the benefit of all. Committed to upholding the well-being of society, I move forward with these ethical principles embedded in my work to become a data scientist who prioritizes integrity, inclusivity, and positive impact.