Art is a purely humanistic talent; it was created using human hands with human creativity. But through the passage of time, art goes from being viewed as a traditional craft to a technological pursuit, and part of that includes the advent of AI art.
For those unaware, “AI art” refers to when an image generator produces an image in seconds utilizing human artwork that developers feed into the system to train the algorithm.
In the art community, using generative AI and passing it off as your original work is a point of controversy and ridicule. Much of the criticism stems from concerns artists have about their treatment, lack of consent using their work to train algorithms, and job security. Many are scared for their livelihoods; what takes them hours and days to accomplish, an AI generator can do in seconds.
Big companies are implementing AI technology in various ways. Marvel, for example, used AI art in their intro to Secret Invasion.
AI art destroys the creative process. We create art to feel the process of drawing, sculpting, painting, etc. In turning the artistic process into more of a fast food operation, we spoil the point of creation. Real art takes time, dedication, talent and passion. Valuable art is a culmination of all of the skills the artist has cultivated in one piece of media.
If we consume art the same way we consume fast food, we are commodifying something that should be handled with time and care. If we let companies feed us AI generated media, we are consuming soulless content.
The more we support human artists and strive to preserve their artistic achievements, the more we will be able to relish the joy of creating; we won’t let companies get away with underpaying their artists and making a profit off of low effort products.
The controversy surrounding AI art is not just about the art, but the people; AI has become a tool for overconsumption and capitalism. It affects working artists. Now they might be asking, “Why bother creating, when AI can do it in seconds?”
Well, I create art because I truly want to tell a story; I want to make something that showcases my skills; I want to feel the process of content creation, and I want to craft something that will outlive me. Art that is made, is art that will stand the test of time. When you see a piece of art, it is a living extension of the artist who made it.
AI shouldn’t have important jobs involving creation or invention — it should make our lives easier instead of taking our livelihoods. It is more fulfilling to create something born from the talents you cultivated, than typing in a prompt and letting the bot create it for you.
