The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust has publicly condemned New York gallerist Peter Danziger for selling AI-colorized editions of Adams's iconic photograph "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico" (1941) at the AIPAD Photography Show in April. Danziger displayed the AI-generated image at his booth with a wall text disclosing the prompt used, and offered prints in editions of 10 at three sizes. The Trust stated it was not notified in advance and accused Danziger of exploiting Adams's name and reputation for commercial gain. Danziger defended his actions, arguing the original image is in the public domain and that his work is transformative, though he apologized for not notifying the Trust.
This dispute highlights the growing tension between copyright, public domain, and generative AI in the visual arts. As AI tools increasingly rely on scraping existing artworks without consent, the case raises critical questions about the ethical and legal boundaries of using iconic images for commercial AI-generated derivatives. The Trust's strong response and the involvement of AIPAD's board signal that the art world is actively grappling with how to regulate AI's impact on artists' legacies and intellectual property.