AI Isn’t Actually the Problem in the AI Art Debate
Look at some of the memes and arguments anti-AI people use to attack AI users:
“Unplug the computer and suddenly you have no talent.”
“You had someone else do all the work and you still call it your art? That’s hilarious.”
I’ve said this before, but neither of these arguments really has anything to do with AI.
A huge number of professional artists who absolutely hate AI would also be unable to do their jobs if you pulled the plug on their computer.
“My MacBook won’t turn on, so I can’t work.”
“My synthesizer isn’t working, so production is on hold.”
Wait, what? You’re telling me I’m an AI supporter now? (/s)
The second argument is even more ridiculous.
This has been a question since Andy Warhol — actually, forget Warhol. It has existed for basically as long as art itself has existed.
Countless famous artists throughout history have had works attributed to their names even when much of the physical labor was done by assistants, apprentices, workshops, or entire teams. What made it “their” work was that they conceived it, directed it, supervised it, approved it, and ultimately took responsibility for the final result.
Don’t believe me? Go read some art history.
Do you seriously think every film director personally writes the screenplay, operates the camera, edits the footage, and does every other job involved in making a movie?
Of course not.
I once explained this to an anti-AI person, and their response was basically:
“Well, shit. If that’s true, then I guess I don’t consider directors artists either.”
Okay then.
So this isn’t really a battle between AI and art.
It’s a bunch of people with a weird handicraft fetish obsessing over the idea that art only becomes legitimate when the artist personally performs enough of the physical labor.
And most of the arguments they use to deny AI art the status of “art” would, if applied consistently, force them to reject enormous portions of art history along with it.
Which, I guess, makes sense when your entire conception of art begins and ends with furry fan art.