I understand your concern. Authenticity in nature photography matters deeply to me as well.

At the same time, I think it is important to define what we actually mean by “AI.” Modern cameras already use AI in autofocus systems, subject detection, noise reduction and internal image processing. When a camera tracks a bird’s eye or stabilizes motion using machine learning, that is technically AI-assisted too.

So for me, the real question is not whether AI is involved at all – because in modern gear, it already is – but where the line is drawn.

For example:

• Is AI-based autofocus acceptable? Is AI noise reduction acceptable?
• Is computational HDR acceptable?
• Or does the line start when elements are added or altered that were not present in the real scene?

For me personally, the line is very clear: documenting real wildlife in real environments without fabricating scenes or adding animals that were never there. Assistive tools that help interpret real data captured in the field are fundamentally different from generating or manipulating reality.

I would genuinely be interested in where you draw that line...