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Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2026 3:38 pm
by poodling around
I have to believe that the gramophone is real but are the back-grounds AI generated ???
Enquiring minds need to know .........
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/206156562435 ... R5Kh9Z2iZw
I have wondered about this with a few gramophone listings fairly recently ... and also possibly 'fake / AI' room settings in some Estate Agent details for properties ... ?
Re: Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2026 7:13 pm
by jamiegramo
I don’t know if these staged interiors are AI or not but they’ve gone to some effort to sell a gramophone for £37! The Columbia horn is in poor condition but the back bracket with tonearm and elbow are worth the money.
Looking at their other items with the plant pot that has a tree in it in one picture and not in the next I wonder if these back grounds and props are AI. Perhaps someone with better AI knowledge will know…
Re: Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2026 8:56 pm
by chuckmoy
The reflection of the candlelight makes me think it is AI, also the tonearm neck fusing with the chair back. In one photo, there is a random clip on the front left (front right from picture POV), which is not present on any other photos.
The fact that I cannot tell is somewhat alarming, AI is getting too good.
Re: Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2026 1:21 pm
by poodling around
Very interesting indeed.
Thank you jamiegramo and chuckmoy.
If it is ai (and I think it is) then does it really matter ?
A very complex question which I think is generally beyond the remit of this forum - but interesting never-the-less.
Re: Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2026 1:35 pm
by OrthoFan
I'd imagine the images were generated using Photoshop or similar. But, of course, AI
has been incorporated into recent versions of Adobe Photoshop--primarily through its "Adobe Firefly generative AI model" based on what I"ve found out, using Google's AI resources...
Re: Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2026 3:06 pm
by epigramophone
Out of curiosity I looked at the seller's other items, none of which are gramophone related.
Both the chair and the wine table on which the gramophone was photographed appear as "set dressing".
I have no idea whether AI was involved, which is worrying.
The listing has been ended because "The item is no longer available".
Re: Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2026 7:01 pm
by JeffR1
It's been lurking for a while, there was an eBay listing a while ago where the woman had 3 legs playing this open horn machine on the floor.
Re: Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2026 8:30 am
by CarlosV
poodling around wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2026 1:21 pm
If it is ai (and I think it is) then does it really matter ?
In this particular case the use of AI is of significant relevance. When we buy in eBay the photos are essential to allow us to assess the item we are buying, in particular antiques like gramophones. An expert in AI can remove defects and other faults, and dupe the buyer into thinking that the article is in a much better condition than in real life. And good luck in opening a dispute in eBay: a dispute works well when the item is broken or lost, but subjectivities like the looks being different from those in the photos are subjective and difficult to argue.
Re: Is AI lurking in here ?
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2026 10:08 am
by Steve
CarlosV wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 8:30 am
poodling around wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2026 1:21 pm
If it is ai (and I think it is) then does it really matter ?
In this particular case the use of AI is of significant relevance. When we buy in eBay the photos are essential to allow us to assess the item we are buying, in particular antiques like gramophones. An expert in AI can remove defects and other faults, and dupe the buyer into thinking that the article is in a much better condition than in real life. And good luck in opening a dispute in eBay: a dispute works well when the item is broken or lost, but subjectivities like the looks being different from those in the photos are subjective and difficult to argue.
That's very true, Carlos, but it's perhaps worth remembering that Ebay itself is also AI driven in some respects and is preprogrammed to accept the buyer is always right.