Coexistence Is Key: Instead Of Fearing AI Will Be The Death Of Artists, Time To Put It To Good Use

An artist who wants their distinct style reflected throughout a project can train an AI model to mimic and aid them. 

Artists need to realise that AI is not their enemy and if used properly, can elevate their craft even further. 

Source : Zak G/Unsplash

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been making massive waves these last few years. Its ability to perform tasks more efficiently than most people is one of its greatest selling points. While many capitalists welcome AI with open arms due to its cost-saving properties, individuals in creative fields see AI as a threat. 

Creative work can touch our hearts, bringing out vibrant thoughts and emotions within us. The advent of AI births a new question. Does a machine have the ability to affect us in this way?  

As AI grows to become a larger part of our lives, it is important to deliberate upon the benefits it brings to creative fields, as well as the problems it might cause. 

AI Has Been Around For A Lot Longer Than You Think

While most people first properly learned about AI and its capabilities with the rise of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s chatbot, the fact of the matter is that it has been integrated into much of the technology we use for a lot longer.

The very concept of gaming is built on the foundation of AI, with the first video game in the world, OXO (see below), utilising it to enable a person to play a game of tic-tac-toe alone.

Additionally, most social media platforms available today use AI to provide you with content you might enjoy. 

Most of these functions are achieved through machine learning, which is an application of AI. In simple terms, machine learning works by training a model on a specific dataset repeatedly. 

Newer functions of AI, which gained it the recognition it has today, like generative AI are able to create different media with just a few simple prompts. 

Creativity & AI

The different forms of art that we experience today are birthed from the imagination and efforts of several artists, writers, musicians and more. Their work is their message to the world, encompassing all the different emotions they felt while creating it. 

All these factors contribute to the concern regarding AI in the creative industry. People fear that human ingenuity will be lost as AI becomes a more active part of the creative process. And this fear is understandable. The quality of AI-generated artwork has improved drastically over the years to the point where someone unaware of an AI-generated artwork’s origin, might mistake it for one created by a human. 

The way one feels while experiencing a work of art is one of the reasons why working in the creative industry is romanticised by many people. However, what many people aren’t aware of is that there is a lot of work behind the scenes which isn’t as glamorous. 

Literature is a great example of the same. The stories told within pages carry the power to awaken strong emotions within the reader, but what many people don’t realise is that before the book reaches their hands, it undergoes several rounds of tedious proofreading and editing.

And while people may consider AI to be the antithesis of creativity, in such situations it greatly streamlines the process of publishing the book, saving time and allowing the writer to work on his next great story. 

Inspiration Or Theft?

Mark Twain once said, “There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope”. This sentiment can be seen reflected in several products of the creative community. 

A popular example is the hit OTT series, ‘The Boys’. The show parodies several superhero stereotypes but puts its own dark twist on them.  

But does this apply to AI?

As previously discussed, AI models are trained on a specific dataset, after which they give outputs based on human input. These models are trained on a vast set of various pieces of literature, artwork, music and more. 

Original creators of the aforementioned art aren’t always enthused by this. AI allows individuals other than the artist to create and profit off work that is similar in style to work made by the actual artist. 

Not only is this seen as blatantly disrespectful within the creative community, but it also carries the risk of taking money away from the rightful artist. 

This is why many large AI developers have been hit with lawsuits regarding copyright infringement and illegal copying of the likeness of individuals. 

Coexistence Is Key

AI, like any technology, is a tool to be used by humans. Almost all major technological innovations in human history were initially met with scepticism and fear. Even now, many are scared about the possibilities AI brings with it. 

In the creative industry, people are scared about the safety of their jobs and concerned about the changes that will inevitably take place in their daily lives.

Balance is needed. Artists need to realise that AI is not their enemy and if used properly, can elevate their craft even further. 

For example, an artist who wants their distinct style reflected throughout a project can train an AI model to mimic and aid them. 

With time and better understanding, a new age of creativity, aided by the very technology individuals once feared, will usher in and the world will never be the same again.

(The author is a student of Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, Delhi)