The following is an excerpt from the CCO Operations Manual:

5.14 Acceptable Use of Artificial Intelligence and Other Computer Editing Tools

5.14.1. Definitions

Artificial Intelligence: For the purposes of the CCO and its competitions, we are referring to AI tools in editing software which may change the content of a digital image.

Non-generative AI: These AI tools analyze, enhance, or modify existing pixels.

Generative AI: These tools create new content that is not in the maker’s original capture. These “pixels” are not created by the maker, but rather from patterns learned from enormous databases of images. Text prompts are often, but not always, used in a generative AI workflow.

5.14.2 Acceptable Photographic Images

For the purposes of Club competitions and/or posting on the Club’s website, an acceptable photographic image is defined “as being a captured image on a light-sensitive device (e.g. film camera, digital camera, smartphone, tablet, etc…) and recorded on film or in a digital format, by the Club member submitting said image.”

All elements used in images or composited images must be made by the submitting Club member.

Image Editing Tools that are based on non-generative AI to retouch or modify the submitting Club member image are allowed when using image elements created by the same photographer. This includes denoising, sharpening, lighting adjustment, colour balance, content aware fill, spot removal, generative fill, masking, tone adjustment, red-eye correction, etc.

5.14.2 Unacceptable Photographic Images

Images that have been created or modified using generative AI are not permitted for submission. This includes:

1. In-painting (where AI fills in generated elements not captured by the photographer or removes and replaces elements from a photograph with AI-generated content);

2. Out-painting (where AI extends beyond the original boundaries of the photograph using generated elements); and

3. Image-to-image AI (where AI transforms an entire photograph based on text prompts or style references)

4. Text-to-image (where images are generated from scratch based on text entered into a prompt description)

The use of stock images or image elements created using AI or CGI are not permitted.

The photographer must do their own post-processing, with the exception of negative scanning and printing.

The Club reserves the right to determine if an image meets its acceptability requirements. The Club also reserves the right to require the original image of the member’s submission to determine acceptability, using whatever tools deemed appropriate, including analysis of the metadata. Club decisions on acceptability of an image are final.