BBC's «Blue Planet III» deliberately keeps imperfect shots in the age of AI
The makers of the BBC nature documentary series «Blue Planet III» are leaving in footage with floating plankton and other flaws to underline its authenticity at a time of AI-generated imagery.
The creators of «Blue Planet III», the BBC's nature documentary series about the world's oceans, have chosen not to polish their footage and to leave imperfections in. The aim is to show that the images are real, at a time when overly polished, seamless visuals are often seen as a sign of artificial intelligence.
Earlier instalments of the «Blue Planet» franchise were known for gorgeous, crystal-clear imagery that seemed almost too good to be real. Executive producer Elizabeth White told The Guardian that in the past, shots would have been cut because of the amount of plankton and other particles in the water. A boat or a buoy might have been framed out, or a scene dropped because water conditions were not good enough.
This time, those elements stay in, to present a more authentic, organic version of the oceans.
What the series shows
The series includes dolphins trapping fish by plugging holes with sea sponges, communication between different fish species, and 200,000 crabs lining up in formation to feed.
White says that real ocean creatures are «probably more remarkable than AI could imagine».
