Art can sometimes feel elusive and abstract, making it difficult for people to connect with. Yet, despite these challenges, humans are constantly drawn to art in search of meaning, emotional expression, and connection. Art is what makes us human and different from other creatures; it connects us to emotions, ideas, and experiences. With the advancement of AI, it opens a new discussion about involving AI in the creative process.
Defining Art and AI
Now, before I start the article, I would like to clarify what I mean by AI. By AI in this article, I specifically mean generative AI, or machines developed with the intent to produce a human-like creative output. This is very different from AI that is used in most different other fields, such as predictive models.
On the other hand, it is so much harder to define art because it spans such a variety of forms. For instance, there is visual art, poetry, and music. But it’s all about one expressing emotions or trying to convey something to an audience. Art is fundamentally an interaction between minds.
Adding Technology to the Creative Process
Throughout history, artists have embraced new technologies in their work, from the invention of photography to the rise of digital art. Each sparked debates arguing about whether these innovations irreparably damaged the nature of artwork or enhanced it. However, most technologies have not been seen as too threatening. Unlike past technologies, AI presents new risks. Considering that AI tools can mimic the style of many famous artists with just a simple prompt.
The Ethics of AI and Human Involvement in Art
The inclusion of AI in the creative process has questioned the definition of what it means to be an artist—how much human effort into a piece of work suffices for the creation to be considered true art. With AI taking on more roles in generating music, visual art, and even literature, we are faced with reevaluating what constitutes artistic authorship. Does the human who inputs a prompt still hold the title of “artist,” or has AI blurred these lines so much that the title itself needs redefining?
Alongside these questions, ethical concerns have emerged, particularly issues such as authenticity and authorship. Who owns an AI-generated piece of art-the person who provided input to the AI, the creators of the AI, or the AI itself? And does AI-generated art lack the emotional intent, communication, compared to human made art? These are important questions that artists and audiences will need to address as AI increasingly influences the creative landscape.
Conclusion
As AI continues to permeate the world of art, it raises complex questions that challenge our traditional notions of creativity, authorship, and artistic authenticity. While AI opens new possibilities for producing art, it also presents certain risks. One of the major selling points of AI is that it would enable anybody to come up with images by just thinking about them, with no required artistic skills. However, just as photography did not simply replicate the world but instead created images distinct from reality, AI may similarly prove to be another tool in the artist’s toolkit—a means of creative expression rather than a replacement for the human touch.
