Artificial intelligence is advancing much faster than many experts predicted, and we’re now beginning to see AI systems that are capable of a wide variety of skills, including writing, collecting and organising data, accountancy, and even art. AI-generated art has become a focus in recent months as more and more people begin to see just how sophisticated this technology really is, and many artists are beginning to fear that they might one day be out of a job. After all, why spend hundreds of dollars on an artist when a piece can be generated within a few seconds sometimes at no cost at all?
Nothing is quite that black and white, however, and while there’s no doubt that AI will have a dramatic effect on the art world, it may not be in a way that everyone thinks.
The Current AI Situation
We’ve now reached a point where it’s virtually impossible to tell if a piece of art was created by a machine or a human. In fact, tools have been developed specifically to test the various markers of AI-generated art because so much of it has been flooding social media lately.
That represents a bit of a problem for some, as it means that people with no artistic talent can create art using AI and then sell that art as their own. There have already been some controversies surrounding this practise, with some “artists” attempting to make money off art that was created by a computer.
The Creative Process
We know that artificial intelligence can do a lot of things, sometimes even better than a human can. But what about the creative process? This is where many feel that AI will always be at a disadvantage. An AI can take existing concepts and images and use them to create a piece of art, and it can do it extremely well, just like it can be a great help to editors or those wanting better odds for horse racing betting.
But this is different from creating something that has never been thought of before, which is, in a sense, the very basis of art as we know it. An AI can replicate and mimic just as well as any person can, but it does not have the capacity for true creative genesis – and this is why many feel that while AI will provide many powerful tools for artists, it will always lack that specific human touch.
Should Artists Be Worried?
Artificial intelligence is going to change the world in a lot of ways, but people also tend to forget AI has already been around for a number of years yet, mostly just in the background.
AI-driven art will no doubt become a successful industry of its own, but art has always been influenced by different technologies.
There will always be a place for artists that are willing to work hard, and especially for those that are open to adopting and using these technologies to their benefit.