Art or Algorithm: Unraveling the AI Art Controversy

Have ya’ll noticed how AI is making everyone lose their freakin’ minds? It’s not just about automating the mundane or revolutionizing the way we work– AI is flipping society on its head by challenging our traditional view of art and how we create it. Is the creation of art exclusively a human endeavor, or does AI get a seat at the table?

To be clear, this isn’t about copyright squabbles — I’m talkin’ about the deep philosophical question of what art truly is. AI has unmasked all kinds of existential questions. And today, let’s explore the implications of AI and art.

You might look at AI as a mashup of 1’s and 0’s–a digital parrot squawking back whatever it’s fed. That makes sense, right? It explains a lot, sure. But hold up. How about we stir the pot a bit and play devil’s advocate? Let’s dig a bit deeper, peel back those mind-bending layers, and try to understand why AI triggers people like a MAGA hat at a climate change convention.

AI Art Controversy 

The questions raised by the emergence of AI are mesmerizing to ponder. Is AI capable of creating art or only simulating it? What does this say about human creativity? What if there is value in AI’s mimicry? Still here? Great.

If that thought got you triggered, it’s probably a sign that you have some underlying psychological knots that need unraveling. And if me saying that triggered you, then I’m convinced you’ve got cobwebs upstairs that need some dusting. Could you possibly be a resistor to new ideas and uncomfortable with the challenges AI poses to the traditional norms of art and creativity? Dare I say–the protector of the status quo?

Art’s New Frontier

Before you come for me, can I twist your knots just a bit tighter? Let me ask ya’ this: If an AI creates something we’ve never seen before, something that moves us, challenges us, or even changes our understanding of beauty, isn’t that the essence of art? And if AI is a collection of human-generated content, isn’t AI a reflection of us?

AI’s Unfiltered Reflections

What if AI is just that? An extension of human expression. If true, this doesn’t come without its complexities. Take AI-generated art for instance. The biases in generative AI become evident in their default portrayal of certain ethnicities, genders, and body types. Highlighting a gap in our collective consciousness when it comes to today’s beauty standards. I see it as a kind of feedback loop, where AI shows us a refracted version of our own cultural and psychological complexes.

Testing Reality: AI’s God Complex

Let me show you what I mean. How about we do a little experiment together? I dropped a simple prompt in Midjourney: /imagine God. And what do you think the AI spit out? You guessed it: a white dude sitting on a cloud. This AI mimicry has got some serious historical baggage. AI is just keeping it real. Laying bare our collective biases for all the world to see.

From Monet to Machines

Speaking of historical baggage, let’s take a stroll down art history lane. Back in the day, art critics threw some serious shade at Claude Monet. Yup, the guy who’s now considered the godfather of impressionism. They considered his work to be lazy and unfinished. Whelp, that attitude didn’t age well. The world’s perception of Monet’s work changed over time. Why wouldn’t our appreciation for AI art evolve too? 

AI’s Blue Ribbon Scandal: The Jason Allen Story

Consider the case of Jason Allen from Pueblo West, Colorado. He’s the guy who made the internet lose its shit by unapologetically winning the blue ribbon in a state fair art competition with a piece created using Midjourney. The world went mad and started hurling all kinds of emotional baggage at this guy. He was called a cheater, an imposter, a liar. 

The thing is, Jason didn’t break any rules. Any “artistic practice that uses digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process” is allowed to enter (nytimes.com). And it wasn’t like he hid the fact that he used Midjourney to create the piece. He made that very clear. 

After he won, he posted his prize-winning masterpiece on Twitter. And boy oh boy did he set off some fireworks. Keyboard warriors furiously took to the internet calling Jason out. He wasn’t an artist, he was a fake. Many argued that AI art is downright plagiarism. But others took to his defense arguing that Jason’s ability to guide the AI’s output to align with his own unique vision breathed life into the award-winning piece.

Here’s the zinger: the judges had no idea that Midjourney was an A.I. program. They claimed that they would have awarded Mr. Allen anyway. It’s hard for me not to picture those judges wiping the egg off their faces after that bombshell. Kind of a rock and a hard place if you think about it — admit they’ve been living under a rock or pretend they were in on it all along. 

The AI Renaissance

Here’s the thing. I am not blind to the flaws and limitations of AI. I get that there are folks out there grappling with a sense of lost purpose in this digital era. The role of the artist is certainly being challenged. I see a renaissance that is leading to a redefinition of what it means to be an artist, and what it means to create. The fusion of AI and human creativity gave birth to a new form of artistic expression that is both machine and human.

As we stand at this crossroads, the future of art pulsates with possibilities, challenging us to expand our horizons and embrace this new era of creative expression.

In this brave new world, let’s not shy away from the complexities and controversies. Instead, let’s dive in headfirst, ready to redefine the boundaries of art and creativity. Who knows? The next Monet might just be a line of code waiting to be written.

© 2023 Evelyn Ann Rose. All rights reserved.

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References:

Title: An A.I.-Generated Picture Won an Art Prize. Artists Aren’t Happy. Publication Date: Sept. 2, 2022 Source: nytimes.com

URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/technology/ai-artificial-intelligence-artists.html