[ExI] Google AI low-resolution photo enhancement

[Ben Zaiboc]

On 07/09/2021 22:27, BillK wrote:
> Google's Incredible New Photo AI Makes 'Zoom And Enhance' a Real Thing
> DAVID NIELD    7 SEPTEMBER 2021
>
> You may well have seen sci-fi movies or television shows where the
> protagonist asks to zoom in on an image and enhance the results –
> revealing a face, or a number plate, or any other key detail – and
> Google's newest artificial intelligence engines, based on what's known
> as diffusion models, are able to pull off this very trick.
>
> <https://www.sciencealert.com/google-s-latest-photo-ai-makes-zoom-and-enhance-a-reality>
>
> Quote:
> The technique is called natural image synthesis by Google, and in this
> particular scenario, image super-resolution. You start off with a
> small, blocky, pixelated photo, and you end up with something sharp,
> clear, and natural-looking. It may not match the original exactly, but
> it's close enough to look real to a pair of human eyes.
> -----------
>
> This is really remarkable!  It should be a big help to improve low
> quality photos of criminals caught in the act.

Sounds like a terrible idea, especially that last bit.

This is what's known as making stuff up, based on a few vague clues. How 
often, I wonder, would a small blocky pixellated photo of a criminal 
caught in the act would, after being 'enhanced', turn out to look like 
you? Or me. Or anyone else who didn't commit the crime.

I hope this AI system is capable of saying 'Nope, dunno what this is, 
not enough information available'. Otherwise it's no better than a kid 
seeing ponies in the clouds.

Ben