The rise of AI art

Artificial Intelligence has always had a hand in helping make human lives trouble-free. It aids in carrying on tasks that are often too difficult and minimizes human error. However, AI’s recent innovation has been raising concerning eyebrows in the art community.

AI art has taken the internet by storm with its quick and easy way of creating masterpieces. Apps now present individuals with a different approach to creating pieces. With just the tap of a few phrases and keywords, people no longer have to indulge for hours in forming self-portraits or illustrations. Though this technique reduces time and increases productivity, it does more harm than good.

Some believe the easy production of synthetic art is corrupt because of the unethical process it undergoes. The AI searches the internet, finding photos and imagery that best fits and assembles them. The majority of these images are illustrations the AI takes from artists without giving credit. In a sense, the generator plagiarizes and forms a new piece of art without the consent or acknowledgment of the person.

There is no current set of rules in place to prevent non-consensual plagiarism. This lack of restrictions means the user has no limits and can utilize AI art however the person sees fit. AI art users can even participate in art competitions alongside other artists.

The controversy has already made headway in a Colorado art contest. The Colorado State Fair is an annual event that allows individuals to display their art for prizes. However, the competition in September 2022 gave rise to debate. Jason Allen, a video game designer based in Pueblo, Colorado, entered a piece he spent 80 hours on.

He came first place in the competition and later revealed that he used Midjourney, an AI program that turns descriptions into images. Ever since his win, many discussions about what is considered art have come up time and time again. These debates lead to numerous people thinking that creative jobs are no longer safe from machines.

Despite this, others believe AI art has the advantage of expanding forms of artistic expression. The products created by machines can often provide useful ideas for artists in an efficient period. As its algorithms evolve, people are finding greater usage in creating unique pieces for projects or leisure.

As technology advances, many jobs and hobbies continue to become obsolete in the innovation of artificial intelligence. Many artists fear the damnation of a traditional craft lost to software. However, others have reason to hold hope as the passion for human creation will never be replicated

Written by Margeyah Dominique | Graphic Designed by Margeyah Dominique

Published September 25, 2023 | ePathfinder | Feature