Artificial intelligence is causing an uproar in the world of art. While scrolling through social media, AI is everywhere. I have subconsciously taught myself to always second guess whether a beautiful art piece on Instagram is made by a person or a robot.
The definition of art is “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination,” according to Oxford Languages. To me, entertaining the thought of a robot creating something that by definition is a human skill is bizarre.
AI is so popular that there will be a day where children will grow up and not know the definition of art. If the children do not understand it, they will not protect it. Art is perceptual. What one person might consider art, another person may not.
Some people may argue that the definition of art is evolving into something digital. While that may apply to digital paintings and pixel art, it does not apply to AI. Digital paintings and pixel art are still by definition a human creative skill because it is a person using technology to create what can be defined as art.
Most artists even disapprove of AI. Artists are getting louder about their anti-AI stance. These artists who are defending and preserving creativity are getting shut down. Any person requesting an art piece pays for a private commission. The average artist in the United States makes anywhere from “$1,000 to $15,000” on average per a private commission, according to an Empowered Artists article.
Unlike them, German artist and computer programmer Mario Klingemann has gotten publicity for incorporating AI in their work. Klingemann’s first “AI-produced work is to be sold by Sotheby’s in Europe, with a 2019 auction fetching £40,000,” according to CNBC writer Lucy Handley. £40,000 converts to $52,424.20.
This is just unethical. No person should get paid that amount of money for something they typed in a prompt for a robot to create.
Recently, a song titled “How Was I Supposed to Know?” by song writer Telisha “Nikki” Jones and sung by robot singer Xania Monet has hit billboards.
I first discovered this song while scrolling through TikTok. My initial reaction was thinking K. Michelle released a new song. But when I was scrolling through the comments, I learned that this song was AI. The people were not impressed. They made this known through sarcastic remarks like, “The world is actually done for,” as one TikTok user commented.
When faced with a ton of backlash for using AI, Jones made a statement to a CBS interviewer. The reason behind her usage of AI is because she is “not a singer.”
The whole concept of using a robot to help produce art is extremely harmful to struggling artists. There are artists who are in need of jobs.We do not need robots to take these jobs that more than enough people are capable of doing.
“64% of musicians are considering leaving the music profession,” according to an Encore Musicians article. One of the many reasons behind this is because they cannot find work. Using robots to sing when there are plenty of artists who need jobs and are capable of singing is ridiculous.
People who are pro artificial intelligence make claims like, “AI is more creative and can generate new ideas,” but this is completely untrue. AI art is not completely original. Aspiring artists have “more originality than a computer,” sophomore art student Alayna Reavley said.
Art has always been a reflection of human emotions and ideas. AI can imitate the idea, but AI cannot replace it. Every time somebody uses AI and calls it art, they are devaluing the quintessence of human creativity. Artificial intelligence is a threat to the imagination, emotion and effort these artists are working towards. If we fail to act now, AI will take over and devalue the true essence of human creativity.
