The Accidents of Truth in Photography

A lecture by André Gunthert, Professor at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris Chair: Mona Leinung, Folkwang University of the ArtsWhat if the future of photography means that photography itself shapes AI more than vice versa? In his lecture, André Gunthert explains how AI works by statistically remixing photographic, cinematic, and video images, imposing photorealism as a norm – even though it is only one style among many. Comparing today’s debates to past concerns over digital retouching, he notes that skepticism now lingers, partly because AI often produces images with deliberate intent to deceive.Follow the discussion to explore why the traditional »true vs. false« framework is too narrow, and why fiction must return as a key category, using realistic means without being judged as fraud. How can we cultivate the image literacy needed to navigate trust, fiction, and manipulation in a world of AI-generated visuals? Join the conversation and leave a comment to speculate with André and us.This session was recorded on February 4, 2026, on the occasion of the 3rd Essen Symposium for Photography »What Will Photography Be? An Invitation to Speculate«, hosted by the Essen Center for Photography.Photo credit: Essen Center for Photography / Silviu Guiman