Some thoughts on Ai Art

From a Human Artist

First of all, I really hate this topic. Just thinking about it fills me with Existential Dread. Does that sounds dramatic? Good, because it feels dramatic.

(Inserting here that there are some cute images if you make it to the end of this article!)

Let me first say, that I am not here to talk about all ‘artificial intelligence’ but mostly the kind that is trained on the non-consensual use of authors and illustrators creative works.

I’m talking about the kind of AI that is used to create written or visual Art.

A few points I have been mulling over for a while now:

Generative AI is Theft

Both Image Generators and Large Language Models (such as ChatGPT) have been trained on authors and illustrators work without their consent. In my opinion, it’s art theft and has led to multiple ongoing lawsuits claiming copyright infringement.

There are still NO LAWS protecting artists, authors and their creative and intellectual property from being harvested by AI. This just absolutely blows my mind that our legislation (in the United States) STILL has not caught up with the current times.

And it is incredibly disheartening that websites, social media apps, creative tools etc., are opting artists and authors in to having their creative works used to train their own AI models without their consent. And in almost all of these cases there is NO option to opt out (for people in the United States - some other countries actually do REQUIRE an opt out option).

It is infuriating.

Generative AI is Wasteful

I don’t know how many people are aware, but running AI is INCREDIBLY wasteful and unsustainable. It uses a ton of energy, requires loads of labor and requires constant input in order to keep itself from consuming it’s own output causing it to start spewing complete gibberish.

I was reading that just a 20ish question encounter with ChatGPT amounts to dumping 500ml of fresh water down the drain.

Generative AI Sucks

Maybe saying “Ai Sucks” isn’t very high-brow of me but it feels like the truest way to describe how art generated by AI feels. There is no depth, there is no soul, there is no story. AI art feels dead in every sense of the word. Every author and artist brings a whole cornucopia of life to the work that they create such as:

1. Their own skills they have labored over perfecting

2. Their own life story and background which led to and influenced what they create

3. Their own unique sense of taste and how things work or don’t work together

4. A message, a meaning, an idea that resonates with them and they want to share with the world.

Don’t we consume art as a window into someone else’s soul? Their inner process. To marvel in our shared humanity and unique experiences? To wonder at what a human being is capable of creating?

I cannot imagine that one day we will be visiting museums such as the Louvre to stare at and appreciate images that were created by a soulless robot. Doesn’t that just feel…dead?

In a recent example, there was a social media trend where people were creating “dolls” aka starter packs of themselves using Ai. I don’t know about you but these images freaked me out. The dolls looked creepy. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about just search the internet for Ai starter pack dolls and you should see plenty of examples).

In a very wholesome and hopeful moment, however, real artists pushed back on this trend by creating a new trend, “NO Ai starter pack” and started posting their own versions done by human hands. I had the absolute pleasure of participating in this trend myself and I loved all the work that was showing up on my instagram feed!

Generative AI is devaluing the work of Living Human Artists Who we Care About

I don’t feel like I need to add anything to this point. Let’s take care of our artists and creative thinkers. We need them.

That Being Said…

There is a very cool movement created by artist Beth Spencer who runs a group called the “Introvert Drawing Club” (love!) where she created a button which says “created with human intelligence” and encouraged other artists to draw it in their own style and share with the hashtag #HiBadge2024

I learned about her idea via a post by Mike Lowery who has also created his own badge and encouraged others to do likewise.

So I made my own and plan to start including it when I post my art online (when I can remember to, haha). If you are an artist ANYWHERE in your journey maybe you could try creating your own badge and joining the Human Intelligence Movement! You can see mine here: 👇🏻

Some other Thoughts on AI that I found helpful:

Artist Kyle T. Webster described AI HERE in a very digestible way.

Artist Mike Lowery’s thoughts on AI HERE. He does a great job of keeping things light with a bit of humor.

A Forbes Article interviewing artist Beth Spencer on the Human Intelligence Movement.

Ai’s unsustainable water use.

Penguin Random House is blocking using their books for AI training.

An encouraging update on the progress of Artist’s copyright cases against AI Here

Side note, this post was written by me (a living and breathing person!) without the use of Ai.

#createdwithhumanintelligence 🙃

With Love,

Amber of The Primrose Corner

P.S. This post is an updated repost from my blog on my website that I wanted to create here on Substack because I think it’s an important topic (and only about two people read my blog on my website, haha). I am planning on just linking my website to my Substack eventually. It’s somewhere in my giant to do list. 🤍