Sometimes wry and thought-provoking, at other times light and amusing, Jacek Jabłoński’s AI images depicting Poland’s cultural touchstones have earned him a place in the pantheon of the country’s most talked about AI artists…

Sometimes wry and thought-provoking, at other times light and amusing, Jacek Jabłoński’s AI images depicting Poland’s cultural touchstones have earned him a place in the pantheon of the country’s most talked about AI artists…
Interview by Alex Webber
Insider: What is your AI story – how did it all begin?
Jacek Jabłoński: In September 2022, I created AI images for the first time. The AI models available then were much simpler than the ones we have now, and the results were less photorealistic – they were more reminiscent of surrealistic images created by a student who had gone overboard on different substances! That said, those images had their charm. At that time, I thought it would take many years before algorithms capable of realistically imitating human creativity would emerge. I was wrong. In March 2023, pictures of Pope Francis in a flashy white puffy jacket went viral worldwide. This Pope heralded new AI models. Around that time, I started managing my sztuczna_polska Insta profile.
You’ve been featured on various media platforms, and your Insta account now has 60k followers – are you a little surprised by this?
I’m surprised how quickly it gained popularity. There are several profiles dedicated to AI art, but I hope that mine is a little different. I wanted it to be more than just pretty pictures. Through many of my posts, I’ve tried to tell valuable stories that hopefully serve as social commentary. For example, last year there were news stories about kids being chauffeured to Holy Communion in limousines. I sought to parody that by depicting traditional communions with a blingy, gangster style.
Have there been many negative reactions to your work?
I remember one comment in particular. I received it after the post about communions. It had been sent via private message and came from an older lady with a cheerful profile picture posing with a beautiful pink flower. There were some vulgarities in it, and she claimed that I was insulting Poland with my posts. Later, it turned out that she lives abroad and rarely visits our country.
You’ve covered some sensitive topics: for instance, the Warsaw Uprising, politics, and the church. When working with such subjects, do you treat them a bit differently?
I wanted to find topics that visually connect Poles – history, culture, politics, the church, but also our shared holidays on the Baltic Sea. These things are in our DNA. And I think each of these topics deserves individual commentary. I’ve never gone out to offend anyone with my work. Even if I create images of politicians I don’t personally support, I try to make them look dignified.
There is a great variety in your work – do you have a favorite topic?
I like all projects related to the social life of Poles. I have created several series of graphics that satirically present how we spend our holidays, our experiences with winter, and even show our sex lives.
Do you have a personal favorite series of images, and if so, why do you love them?
My favorite series of images are the ones with restored photos from the Warsaw Uprising. I was born in Warsaw, and I absolutely love this city and its history. I tried to make the restored photos look like they were taken just a moment ago with a smartphone. I wasn’t aiming for historically accurate recreation, but rather an interpretation that immediately makes us think of other places in the world where such an “Uprising” is happening right now.
Those that try fooling around with the free AI programs often find themselves absolutely addicted! How long do you typically spend creating images before you are happy with the result?
Creating AI images is indeed addictive. Mainly because you don’t need advanced tools to generate interesting images. Everyone can have AI apps on their phones. You can create images while sitting on the bus to work or lying on a poolside lounger! Typically, it takes me several evenings to create one post.
Speaking of beginners, what are your tips for them…
I think the most important thing is to find an interesting topic. Most AI-generated images look very good, but they often lack context. Artificial intelligence needs a creative operator who understands cultural contexts.
In your opinion, what makes a good AI image?
After seeing a good image, I should hear in my head: Wow, Haha, or Hmm. I like to feel these emotions when looking at every creative work (not just AI images).
What program(s) do you use?
I mainly work using Midjourney, StableDiffusion, and Photoshop’s AI features. The best results can be achieved by combining work using all of these tools.
Have you noticed how fast AI is developing?
Yes! AI is developing very quickly. At this point, we’ve gotten somewhat used to this technological progress. AI-generated graphics surround us, we plan vacations using it, and we can buy products designed by AI in stores. I think there are many exciting solutions still ahead of us!
Should we be scared of AI?
I try to view the development of AI as an opportunity that provides new possibilities. Of course, it is a tool that can also be misused. A knife can be used to cut bread, but it can also harm someone. Thankfully, most people use it properly. One of the dangers of AI is that it can hallucinate without human intervention. Let me give you an example. A few days ago, I was looking for information about interesting events that took place in Poland 25 years ago. Chat GPT stubbornly claimed that in 1999, a man jumped from the Palace of Culture with a car. I searched the entire internet to find any information that could confirm this event. I found nothing. It was a hallucination. In this case, quite amusing and obvious, but imagine someone using AI to seek medical advice. At that point, it could be dangerous.
It’s brilliant that you have focused on Poland – and I think everyone who lives here can really relate to your images. Is there a reason you just decided to focus just on Poland rather than everything?
Poland fascinates me. We live in a country full of contrasts – it has a lot of beauty, but also kitsch and ugliness. By feeding Poland into AI, I establish a connection with my country. I share my work on a profile with many followers, so it’s also a way to understand the perspective of other people. I’m curious about how Poles view their country.
Finally, do you have some kind of routine when creating your work?
I challenged myself to create an interesting project with AI at least once every two weeks. I work full time in a large media corporation. I am also the father of a fantastic and very active 4-year-old daughter. My time for AI experiments is very limited. That’s why I create mainly in the evenings and at night. I turn on a podcast or music and then transport myself to a Poland that exists in a different universe!
For more on Jacek, give him a follow at:
instagram.com/sztuczna_polska