AI is slowly finding its place in the art world, and Shutterstock has launched its first art contest devoted to AI creations. Titled Canvas of the Future, this competition invites you to harness the power of AI to visually depict a world aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About the contest

The Canvas of the Future contest was organized in collaboration with the UN’s ITU AI for Good. The contest’s task for you to craft artistic interpretations of any of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, showcasing your vision for a more sustainable future. It’s quite ironic, though, considering how big of an impact AI generators have on the environment.

As for the style, Shutterstock encourages you to unleash your creativity. Any artistic style is welcome, from photorealistic to abstract. But remember, responsible and ethical AI use is key. While any ethically sourced (ahem!) AI platform is fair game, Shutterstock encourages using their own AI image generator “to ensure responsible use of AI.”

The grand prize isn’t just about bragging rights. The winning artist gets to showcase their masterpiece at the AI for Good Global Summit 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Key dates to remember

The submission deadline for the contest is February 29, 2024. So, at the moment of writing this, you still have over a month left to create and submit your images. The winner announcement is on April 1, 2024.

A note on AI and submissions

While Shutterstock embraces the future of AI art, it’s important to remember that you can’t license AI-generated work on the platform. This contest, however, is all about pushing boundaries and sparking dialog. So, you can use AI images in the contest, but you won’t be able to license them on the platform later.

If you’re into AI images, now’s your time to shine. Head to the Canvas of the Future website to learn more and submit your entry.

AI images in contests: some controversies

It’s worth noting that Canvas of the Future isn’t the first AI art contest out there. In October 2023, the first AI contest revealed its winners. But AI-generated images were winning the first prizes in photo contests before that, more than once. Funnily enough, judges of a photo contest dismissed an iPhone shot in July last year because they thought it was AI. And a few months before that, a human-made image won in the Human vs. Robot contest, so I guess human creatives still have the upper hand. At least for now.