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However, critics argue this process lacks consent and often includes private, sensitive, or illegal content—ranging from medical images to explicit and abusive material. The 2023 discovery of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) within Lucid's Lion dataset ignited public outrage, forcing the organization to review and remove problematic data, but questions of legality and ethics remain unresolved.
Many AI developers dismiss concerns by claiming their models do not store or reproduce exact copies but instead learn statistical patterns. Nonetheless, artists like Kelly McCernan and Jingna have deplored how their distinctive styles and personal images have been copied, often without acknowledgment or compensation, raising profound questions of ownership and moral rights.