ChatGPT's Attempt to Restore World's Oldest Photograph Sparks Debate on AI Accuracy

This restoration of the world's oldest photograph shows the difference between AI slop and ChatGPT expertise

Over the last year or so, we've seen countless AI-generated images that try to restore old photographs or art to appear like they once did in the past. Unfortunately, more often than not, AI-generated restorations are inaccurate, with ChatGPT and other AI image generators creating AI slop based on what they think the original piece could look like. Earlier today, when browsing Reddit, I stumbled across an iconic image I had studied during my time at school. The world's oldest photo, taken circa 1826-7 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, is iconic, showcasing the photographer's view of a rooftop. Obviously, because of the age of the photo, and the lack of modern technology to create images 200 years ago, there's not much clarity in the image, and it's pretty hard to decipher what's going on in it. One Reddit user, however, took to ChatGPT to try and restore the original image and showcase a modern colorized look of the iconic photo. Unfortunately for them, it's a great example of what not to do with AI, and a great example of how AI fluency plays a huge part in the outcome of your creations. Reddit user u/illegitimateness posted their ChatGPT creation with the title "I asked ChatGPT to restore and colorize the world's first image" showcasing what happens when you provide AI with a photo and leave it to its own devices to create a new one. This version of Niépce's famous photo adds modern elements to the photo, inaccurate colors, and even a church in the background. ChatGPT is unable to verify any of the edits it makes to the original photo in this circumstance, effectively creating AI slop in the process. Following on from the initial image post, more Reddit users weighed in, including u/Significant_Poem_751, who claims the rendering is "totally inaccurate." The user goes on to explain that they are a teacher on the history of photography, and adds, "I have seen the original, many times, so the big triangle shape in the center is not another building, or rooftop, or any object." Read the full comment here. Interestingly, another user chimed in with their own interpretation of "View from the Window at Le Gras" and this time they highlighted how using the correct AI model and having some form of AI fluency really does make a difference. U/Chestburster12's comment is one of the most upvoted in the whole thread, as it showcases the capabilities of ChatGPT if given the right prompts. They said, "I think you can get somewhat better results by using the web search function with a reasoning model. I prompted ChatGPT to check historical data to compensate for the lack of information in the original image." While there's almost definitely still inaccuracies in this image, it's so much better than the original AI-generated restoration from the original post. Best of all, the user showcased their ChatGPT conversation so you can use these exact techniques to try and do this with other images. To begin, select one of ChatGPT's reasoning models, such as o3 or o4-mini. Once you've chosen your AI model, upload the original image. In this case, u/Chestbuster12's prompt was "This is the world's first image and I want you to colorize and restore the image. But the image itself may not have enough detail in it to recognize some details. Use the web and search for it to verify or fill in the blanks." This prompt then leads to a minute or so of research with a back and forth where you can help direct ChatGPT to achieve a more accurate result than simply asking for an image generation in a regular chat. You can check out the full ChatGPT conversation that led to the restoration of Joseph Nicéphore Niépce photo here.

Reddit Asks ChatGPT to Restore World's Oldest Photo and the Results are Horrible

At the beginning of the 19th century, it was becoming apparent in scientific circles that it was possible to "draw with light" and fix real-world images onto paper. In 1826, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce took what is widely believed to be the first-ever successful photograph, an exposure that may have lasted several days. Fast-forward 198 years and a Reddit user has asked ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, to restore and colorize Niépce's photograph. But the trouble with Niépce's image is that it lacks clarity and definition, owing to the fact it is quite literally the world's oldest photograph and the photographic process was not yet refined. While it's fairly clear that there are two buildings and a tree in the photo, the rest are largely abstract shapes. A triangle in the center of images is difficult to make out; it could be a road or a building. ChatGPT thought it was the latter. The post caught the attention of another Redditor who claims to be a teacher of the history of photography. They weren't impressed. "Totally inaccurate rendering -- and that is not surprising," writes the teacher. "His process was called heliography. [He] used bitumen and lavender oil, on a polished pewter plate. The exposure took days, and even then, you can barely see the image." "I have seen the original, many times," the teacher continues. "So the big triangle shape in the center is not another building or rooftop or any object -- it was created by sunlight and shadows over the long exposure, and is the courtyard area. There are two buildings on the right and left, that is clear. A tree in the distance. This was at his estate in La Gras, France. So don't get so excited about the 'colorization' of this iconic image that literally changed the world." Unfortunately, it didn't stop with OP (original poster). More people began uploading Niépce's image and asked ChatGPT to restore and colorize it. The teacher adds that when he asks ChatGPT for information on the history of photography, they find it to be "50/50 accurate." Niépce's associate Louis Daguerre would later modify the process and name it after himself. Niépce's original photograph is on display in Austin, Texas, at the Harry Ransom Center if you would like to see it.