Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around for a few years. However, recent technologies, such as DALL-E 2, Midjourney, and Artbreeder, have allowed even the most inexperienced artists to produce intricate, abstract, or lifelike pieces by merely entering a few words into a text box. Art is no longer confined by skill but by one's imagination, and the ability to play with words is the limit.
Many human artists are understandably concerned about their own futures due to these apps; after all, why would anyone pay for art when they could create it themselves? Intense discussions regarding the morality of AI-generated art have also resulted from these apps, as well as resistance from those who believe that they are just a high-tech form of plagiarism.
Art?
AI "art" may look like it is made in seconds, but it's made from years of work and practice by human artists. A code that mimics other artists without interacting with artists.
As time progresses, so does art. Art reflects the intentions of the artists, which often are influenced by the world around them. When things change, it's common to fear it and defend what you know.
"The fear has sometimes been expressed that photography would in time entirely supersede the art of painting. Some people seem to think that when the process of taking photographs in colors has been perfected and made common enough, the painter will have nothing more to do." - Henrietta Clopath, 1901
Critics of the time saw photography merely as a thoughtless mechanism for replication, one that lacked "that refined feeling and sentiment which animate the productions of a man of genius." However, photography is no longer feared in this manner; instead, it now has its own complex techniques and unique artistic practices that make it a celebrated art form.
The concerns seem similarly overhyped today. However, this time the artists may be right. In fact, artificial intelligence is vastly incomparable to past technology. What makes the new AI tools different is that they're not only capable of producing stunning pictures in a matter of seconds, but they are built and trained on powerful algorithms - looking through millions of pictures on the internet every day, including those made by real artists who now unknowingly help train their biggest competitor every time they upload new work. Humans simply can't keep up with AI's speed and processing power, which could mean the end of a whole industry.
Stolen Art
The main distinction between AI art and photography or works by artists that draw inspiration from others is that AI uses existing images/artworks. Whereas photography, realistically or abstractly, captures the world around us to produce new images. The main issue with this type of art is that it's not unique. It's stolen.
Take the image below is a combination of word prompts and the paintings (which are part of the Met's Open Access policy):
- Merced River, Yosemite Valley (1866) Albert Bierstadt
- Hudson River Scene (1857) John Frederick Kensett
- The Ford (possibly 1636) Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellée)
How does it work?
AI is a creative tool that works with algorithms that are set up to specific rules through which machines analyze thousands of images to comprehend a particular creation process, like a specific style or aesthetic. These images may come from Instagram, Pinterest or Artist's personal art websites. This AI doesn't buy or ask for permission to use these images before using them to create new works.
Although the other side of the argument is that AI is simply mimicking human artists, watching and learning, you do have to ask yourself where this inspiration is coming from. Whether it's a coincidence or not, it is certainly a possibility that needs to be kept in mind.
AI is Everywhere
This isn't an understatement AI can solve math problems, drive cars, discover new drugs, and write essays, and that's just breaking the surface. AI learns from humans, and as humans advance, so will AI; filling in those mundane and boring aspects of life is where AI is useful. It's not something to fear but something to be aware of.
Privacy remains an issue in all areas of AI because artificial intelligence requires data to learn patterns and make decisions. As there are seemingly endless ways in which artificial intelligence is beginning to impact our lives, we will have to wait for laws and regulations to catch up on them.
Art is Dead
It's understandable why artists are threatened by this artificial intelligence, especially if art is where you make your profit, but art is not dead. It can be beautiful and impressive, but something about it loses its spark when you're told it's made by AI. It simply lacks a soul. On the other hand, with this new technology, new artists have also emerged. They have quickly mastered how to use prompts to their advantage and create amazing pieces, and that is certainly something that should not be disregarded.
It may be inevitable that, at some point in the future, many companies will opt to have their artwork made by AI instead of humans. AI-generated art is a lot cheaper and a lot faster than commissioning somebody to create one painting over the course of months. If given a choice to have hundreds, if not thousands, of images to pick from in a matter of weeks while paying only one person to write prompts all day, you can bet that's the one corporations will choose.
Can't kill passion
Whether AI art dies as a trend or lives to destroy its creators. Human art will always be more breathtaking and more alive. Perhaps, this technological revolution will make us rediscover the true beauty behind man-made art which has been sitting on your Instagram page or hidden in museums all over the world.
At the end of the day, art created by humans will always be more beautiful and won't stop humans from doing what they love, creating art that expresses real emotions and challenges. We create because that is what we love to do and nothing will stop that.
* As always, thank you for reading and supporting me!!!
About the Creator
K. Ross
I write articles about human experiences with a keen interest in art, psychology and society. I post about once a month.
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Comments (27)
Hi we are featuring your excellent Top Story in our Community Adventure Thread in The Vocal Social Society on Facebook and would love for you to join us there
Traditional art is still the best for me.
Interesting
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interesting insight. 😊❤👌💖
AI art versus hand made art should be a different category, same as photography is.
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AI art is not necessarily a threat to artists. While AI-generated art may be able to produce aesthetically pleasing images, it lacks the creativity and originality that are essential elements of human art. AI art is generated through algorithms that are designed to follow a set of predetermined rules, while human artists have the ability to create unique and innovative works that are not bound by any specific rules. Moreover, AI art can be seen as a new medium that artists can use to express themselves and create new forms of art. Artists can incorporate AI-generated images and elements into their work, creating a hybrid of human and machine-generated art. This can result in unique and innovative works that push the boundaries of traditional art forms. Furthermore, the development of AI technology has also led to new opportunities for artists to create and experiment with new tools and techniques. For example, AI algorithms can be used to generate color palettes, create visual patterns, and generate 3D models, which artists can then incorporate into their work. In conclusion, AI art is not a threat to artists, but rather a new tool and medium that artists can use to create innovative works. AI-generated art cannot replace the creativity and originality of human artists, but it can be used to enhance and complement their work.
really interesting
Interesting. I believe AI can make our lives better but can't replace real human arts and skills.
🤔🤔
Feeling Sad For Artist
Wonderful article. There's no doubt that human-made art will remain awe-inspiring and vibrant. Many thanks for shedding light on AI. I also focus on writing about AI, technology, marketing and self-improvement. Would you mind taking a look at my pieces and providing feedback? It would be incredibly valuable to me.
Very interesting post
Fascinating read. Who knows, maybe billionaires will be buying AI-generated Da Vinci replicas in the future! https://www.myadvocateaurora.net/
Awesome. And Artificial Intelligence Can't Replace Humans!
AI can imagine too! Great.
Fascinating read. Who knows, maybe billionaires will be buying AI-generated Da Vinci replicas in the future!
nice work
I remember reading about the lead photo winning a contest and the controversy about it being created with AI. The artist had said it took many deliberate hours to create. Very good piece! I really enjoyed reading and congratulations on Top Story!
Love this insightful essay. Heartef
Not only does suggesting machines can be artists threaten art it threatens humanity even more. In fact, it greatly devalues both as I have written about previously (see link below). It says something very ugly about ourselves that we believe machines are capable of creating art and it worries me greatly that this belief is so widespread. The even more widespread misperception that machines can be intelligent has caused so much confusion among so many. After all, If machines can be intelligent why can't they be artists, or scientists, or anything else humans can be? In fact though they cannot be any of those things, and never can be for if they ever were they would no longer be machines. This is the logical fallacy that lies at the heart of AI that computer scientists and techo utopians willfully ignore or they address by redefining intelligence, slicing it into ever smaller and smaller types and kinds. They say we didn't really mean it when we said computers were intelligent we only meant that they had a kind of intelligence or a certain type of intelligence. The type and/or kind of intelligence they mean is constantly debated and ever changing but there is one thing a kind of intelligence is not, it is not intelligence, it is not actual intelligence. For intelligence is not a thing for which kinds and types can be applied, not if one wishes to remain logically consistent in the application of the term. Logic means nothing to the techno utopians however though ironically the algorithms they use to program the machines they say are "intelligent" or have a type of intelligence are all based on various forms of it. It is one of the greatest ironies of the modern world in fact. Logic ignored to support an illogical contention about things/machines which are ultimately based on logic and can only operate in a logical fashion as dictated by their programming which they have no choice but to follow. The word "choice" does not even apply to a computer or machine. In fact, logically it cannot apply. Programming does not allow choices, it can sometimes be made to provide the illusion of choice but it is just that, an illusion as is the belief that machines can be intelligent or the belief that they can be artitsts. They can be none of those things, ever, for the moment they are any of them, they will no longer be machines. https://vocal.media/futurism/suggesting-that-machines-are-artists-devalues-art-and-humanity
As a teacher who discovered a student used AI to complete one of my assignments, I often wondered what my role as an educator would be. Why teach when stuff can do stuff for kids. My coworker threw in a question to the AI, "Will AI replace teachers?" and the AI, take this as you will, replied that it can't because AI can't have the heart and soul and interpersonal connections teachers can create between students. It wrote that to us. So, in an essence, AI was correct... AI can't replace art, but it can displace our worth and value and effort. This will be a new era many will have to adapt and evolve to in order to survive and thrive.
AI can be seen as a tool for artists, rather than a threat. It can potentially help artists to create new and innovative works, and can also be used as a means of enhancing or augmenting traditional artistic practices. However, it is important to recognize that AI is not a replacement for human creativity and artistic expression. AI can generate unique and interesting output, but it cannot replicate the depth and complexity of human emotions and experiences that are often conveyed through art. Ultimately, the relationship between AI and artists will depend on how the two are used together, and it is up to individual artists to decide whether and how they want to incorporate AI into their work.
I find the argument against AI is usually from someone who already benefits from other tools that made past skilled workers obsolete. I think a show you should check out is "Carole and Tuesday". It's a good series but also touches on AI generated music (which already exists by the way). Where the majority of people on Mars use some form of AI generation for their music and two girls still make it big by creating their own music from the heart. Technology has already replaced tens of millions of jobs around the world just in the past decade and will continue to do so, but as it does, new forms of jobs and business opportunities up. Refer to music. Album vs Streaming. If someone *only* has their music on albums, they won't make it big in today's world. We use to have to burn CDs from bought albums to make custom playlists. Now? It's just standard to look up any song/artist on things like Spotify and tap a button to create a playlist.