Conversations about ethics and art are nothing new. Minimalist art frequently sparks outrage, with some paintings fetching prices into the tens of millions despite using just a few simple colors. Take Orange, Red, Yellow by Mark Rothko for example. It sold at auction for a whopping 90 million dollars.
Then there are controversial art subjects, like Damien Hirst’s infamous Mother And Child (Divided); a cow and her calf cut in half, nose to tail, and preserved in formaldehyde. Is it ethical to sell a relatively plain canvas for so much money? How many animals should die for art, and is it okay to display their dead bodies? It seems the jury’s still out on those questions. In any case, there’s a new kind of ethical dilemma in the art world today, and it’s all about AI.
What is AI art generation?
AI art generators are software or online tools that use artificial intelligence programs, or algorithms, to generate images. You type in a request, known as a prompt, which tells the AI what you want. The AI program then searches billions of images across the internet and uses them to generate a new image.
Some tools generate a particular style of art. For example, this PIxAI art generator creates anime art, while Midjourney is best for photorealism. There are even generators for NSFW art.
Ownership and copyright issues
As it stands, you can’t copyright artwork that’s been created by AI, but you can earn money by creating, distributing, and selling AI art. As lawsuits around the world stack up, and with trillions of dollars at stake, it’s clear we’ve got some work to do in terms of navigating this new landscape.
Authenticity and creativity
AI challenges traditional notions of creativity and originality. If a machine creates something beautiful, is it art? As Marcel Duchamp said, “Anything is art if an artist says it is.”
On the other hand, you could argue anything AI creates is just a clever replica of human ideas. There’s no clear-cut answer here. It’s about deciding what we value in art and creativity as a society moving forward.
Economic and social implications
There are tangible effects of AI in art. For artists, it’s a double-edged sword. AI can be a tool for innovation, but it threatens to devalue or trivialize human-created work. AI’s involvement is having consequences in other creative fields as well, including writing, music, and video production.
The problem is further exacerbated by our obsession with social media. Everyone is a ‘creator’ these days. You can make a digital masterpiece in a matter of seconds with little skill or effort. What becomes of the original creators, whose skills it took decades to master but can now be replicated by anyone? What of their livelihoods? Are they being replaced?
Endnote
AI in art brings exciting possibilities, but also some significant ethical concerns. With laws struggling to keep up and polarizing opinions circulating in the media, we need to think critically about these issues and how we navigate this new frontier. The future of AI in art is unfolding, and it’s up to us to shape it thoughtfully.
Featured image created with DALL-E
