At the time of writing this post, AI has made leaps and bounds of progress since its infancy. There are many types of AI, but the most familiar to the average person is what's known as "limited memory AI" -- think Amazon Alexa, ChatGPT, or even autonomous vehicles. AI has also become increasingly refined at generating images and videos to the point where some people use generative artwork to gain internet fame or wealth without disclosing its origins. This puts artists -- those who have dedicated years or even decades to their craft -- in a precarious position: how can you compete with a machine?
You don't.
I mean that. You can't compete with a machine's efficiency, speed, or availability. What you can do is learn to integrate this newfound technology into your creative process. I was vehemently against AI when my professor introduced an assignment requiring the use of Photoshop's generative AI -- I saw it as nothing more than a collection of stolen artwork and assets spit back out to the user, as well as a major pollutant to the environment.
She didn't want us to generate an entire image using the software, though -- she instructed us to add minor details with the program. My professor was the first to suggest that AI should be used as a tool rather than a replacement, an argument that I didn't see often in the discussion of AI and creativity. After college, I swallowed my pride and dipped my toes into the AI world.
And it wasn't too bad, actually. It's not here to replace me -- it's for me to collaborate and explore topics with. Like any tool, though, it has its highlights and challenges.
Quick Idea Generation
AI is able to generate ideas within seconds, anytime and anywhere. This is useful for working through creative blocks, which often persist for weeks or even months.
Accessibility
Most AI platforms offer a free, limited version of their models, with paid tiers unlocking additional features and models. This allows anyone to dabble with AI without financial commitment. Recent advancements have made AI more accessible -- voice-to-text options enable users to communicate ideas efficiently, as well as provide suggestions and tools based on specific needs or conditions, making AI a tool for all.
Low Social Demand
When anxiety makes brainstorming with others difficult or you just don't have people around you for artistic collaboration, AI is there to springboard ideas off of. AI won't criticize your wild ideas or your 3 a.m. creative bursts -- it only helps refine and expand them.
New Perspectives
AI allows exploration of different artistic styles and perspectives, pushing your creative boundaries in ways that you might not have normally thought about. Pulling from diverse data pools, AI can suggest unconventional approaches that inspire new and interesting artisitic directions.
Automoation of Tedious Tasks
How many of us like writing design contracts? How about Terms of Service? With AI, these tasks that used to take hours can now be completed in a fraction of the time. This leaves you more time for art, networking, or personal time.
Over-Reliance
Excessive use of AI can weaken human creativity, problem-solving skills, and reading comprehension. This can make it harder for artists to generate ideas independently. A major issue I see discussed often is industries devaluing human artists in favor of AI, reducing job opportunities and shifting the creative landscape to prioritize efficiency over originality.
Ethical & Copyright Concerns
Many AI models are trained on scraped data -- content taken without explicit consent from its original owners. A large portion of artists online are vehemently against AI being trained on or generating artwork in their style, and for good reason. Current United States copyright law states that work generated by non-humans are not protected. While training data currently falls under fair use, ongoing lawsuits may change how this is handled in coming years.
Environmental Impact
A big one. The elephant in the room, even. AI requires massive amounts of computing power, which contributes to carbon emissions. Data centers -- a house of computer systems -- also consume huge quanities of water in order to cool their systems. Meanwhile, millions of people worldwide still struggle to access clean drinking water. This raises ethical concerns about whether resources should be spent maintaining AI infrastructure.
Inhuman Designs & Lack of Authenticity
AI lacks the human touch when it comes to design and intent. A human designer can understand context, nuance, and brand identity in order to create strong designs. AI, on the other hand, often produces uncanny results, which brings us to...
Imperfections
AI is far from perfect. It frequently generates mistakes on images -- unlegible text, giving humans extra fingers or arms, and even creating nonsensical images. Without careful human insight, this can lead to misleading or subpar work.
All in all, AI is a powerful tool -- but like any tool, overreliance can do more harm than good. As society continues to integrate AI into our daily lives, artists should consider not just the benefits, but also the ethical and moral implications. As AI evolves, our understanding of its role in the creative process must follow suit.
If you're interested in learning more about this topic, here's a list of articles and resources used in the creation of this article.
Types of Artificial Intelligence by IBM
AI and the Creative Process: Part One by JSTOR
AI and Copyright Law: What We Know by Bullitin