Artificial Intelligence and Its Increasingly Worrying Role in Art

boarsart / December 16, 2022
Victor Espinoza’s Napoleon Bonaparte
Generated with a Neural Style Transfer Process

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in the field of art generation in recent years. With the advent of machine learning algorithms, AI systems are now able to create original works of art in a variety of mediums, including paintings, music, and even poetry. While this development has the potential to revolutionize the art world, it also raises important questions about the future of human artists and the role of creativity in a world increasingly dominated by technology.

One of the most impressive examples of AI art generation is the development of AI-powered painting software. These programs use machine learning algorithms to analyze the styles and techniques of famous painters and then generate original paintings in a similar style. Some of these programs are even able to adjust their style in real-time based on user input, allowing users to create unique, collaborative works of art with the AI system.

AI-generated music is another area where the technology has made significant progress. AI systems are now able to analyze the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms of existing music and then generate original compositions in a similar style. These compositions can range from simple melodies to complex orchestral works, and they often exhibit a level of technical proficiency that would be difficult for a human composer to achieve.

AI poetry is a newer field, but it has already produced some impressive results. AI systems are able to analyze the structure and syntax of existing poems and then generate original works in a similar style. Some AI poetry even exhibits a level of emotion and depth that is surprising given the machine’s lack of personal experience.

So what does all of this mean for human artists? On the one hand, the rise of AI art generation could be seen as a threat to traditional artistic occupations. If machines are able to produce works of art that are indistinguishable from those created by humans, it could lead to a decline in demand for human artists. On the other hand, the development of AI art generation could also create new opportunities for human artists. For example, human artists could work alongside AI systems to create unique, collaborative works of art. They could also use AI tools to enhance their own artistic process, allowing them to create more complex and sophisticated works more quickly and efficiently.

Ultimately, the impact of AI on the art world will depend on how the technology is used. If AI art generation is used to simply replicate the styles and techniques of human artists, it could lead to a devaluation of human art and a reduction in the demand for human artists. However, if AI is used as a tool to augment and enhance human artistic expression, it could open up new possibilities for human artists and lead to a more vibrant and diverse art world.

One thing is certain: AI art generation will continue to evolve and improve in the coming years, and it will be up to human artists and the wider art community to determine how to best incorporate this technology into their work. Some may choose to embrace it as a powerful tool, while others may resist its influence. Regardless of the path that is taken, it is clear that AI art generation will have a significant impact on the art world and on the role of human artists in the near future.

It’s not just art

AI will probably overtake many forms of entertainment and content generation, given it’s rapidly increasing capability and sophistication. Most likely, in a matter of just a few years, most new written content online may be generated entirely by AI, with humans finding it very hard to distinguish between what’s autonomously generated, and what’s written by a real human. Don’t believe me? The entire above text was generated automatically using OpenAI’s ChatGPT, with the following prompt:

Write 800 words about artificial intelligence art generation and what it could mean for human artists in the near future.

There was absolutely no editing, and the above output was it’s first attempt. It took less than a minute to generate that text. It didn’t quite reach the 800 word mark (it made it to 566), but it got pretty far, and was organized and succinct in what it did write. This kind of thing is already all over the internet, and countless people are unknowingly consuming AI content generated just to draw search engine traffic to their site for the purposes of getting clicks on whatever advertisements that site is running.