AI is everywhere even when you are not searching for it, on social media, TV, commercials…
But things really hit last week. Right after the pseudo-Ghibli art blew up the internet the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Barcelona announced their new Sant Jordi Poster for 2025.
Sant Jordi is a very important celebration in Catalonia. Barcelona dresses in roses and books for the 23rd of April and many streets are blocked off to set up books and rose stands. It is part of our tradition to walk around and maybe buy some books and roses for your loved ones and for yourself.
Every year the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Barcelona celebrates a contest to choose that year’s poster and not only this year the winner was a teacher, but she also used AI to make it.
Aside from if it's good or bad art, how something made by an AI can win a contest in a Fine Arts University for a celebration about culture?
Little reminder that this will remain as a part of the cultural heritage collection of the University among the posters of past years.
What everybody, including myself, is questioning now is what is even the point? I can’t imagine the faces and frustration of the students that are studying Fine Arts there now.
I searched for the artist, and she "makes" art using AI.
I don’t quite even understand what her objective is because in all of this, she will be the first one losing her job, right? As an art teacher she won’t be needed as there will be nothing to teach and as an artist soon, she will be replaced by AI itself.
I also read opinions that going against AI is pointless as it’s trying to go against evolution.
Like the photography didn’t kill the painter, and other ridiculous examples.
Photography did kill the painter. Because back in the day there was the painter and the artist. What we call art today was everywhere before: posters, portraits, signs, typography, wall art… you name it!
There was a difference between the artist and the artisan/painter.
The Sistine Chapel by Michaelangelo wasn’t painted by himself, he had a team of painters doing the job.
The difference between the artist and the artisan is that the artisan is a technician that has good abilities but lacks the creative part. The artist has that creative inner voice even if it doesn't have top notch technical skills. The art that comes from them has their own interpretation.
It’s not that one is better than the other, they are different, and each has its own place.
So that comparison is meaningless because AI will kill the artisan and the artist, at least most of them.
We are losing focus, the enemy is not AI, it is still human. Those who want art but not the artist.
All these perfectly rendered fashion pictures of models posing with concept pieces that aren’t made cut many jobs of a creative team like the photographer, the models, the manufacturers of the clothing, etc.
AI has endless possibilities, and it is a great tool if used well. Like in medicine, thanks to that some studies got faster and more accurate. But using it as a substitute for the artist is not a good use because it is not necessary.
When an artist makes art it’s pure enjoyment and the best thing is getting paid for it. Can you imagine getting paid for playing basketball? Oh! There’s already that job. Or getting paid for playing video games? Wow, that’s also a job! You get the point, right?
Why use AI to replace the joy of doing something instead of boring tasks and leave us more time to do the things we love?
Do you really want a world where art, music, movies, videogames and books are done by AI and we just do boring, repetitive tasks? All of these builds culture, do you want our culture to be made by AI?
All those people who are making their own version of Studio Ghibli are not doing any favors to the real Studio Ghibli. AI is hacking and stealing from artists1.
Art is an intellectual property and that must be paid.
I know that almost everybody doing this is not conscious about it because the educational part of AI art lacks. Of course, the companies behind them are not interested in letting you know that they are stealing artists, so you make your custom portrait. (By the way, by uploading your photo to any AI generator you are also training the AI with your face or someone else's, which is illegal without explicit permission, but that's another topic).
Going back to the “art must be paid” part: if a company wants to use an artwork they must ask for permission and compensate the artist, why is not the same for AI?
That’s the bad thing of new things; they first go out in the world and then we deal with the legal aspects…
Do you want our culture to be made by AI?
I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that when the time comes it's not too late and we haven't all given up.
Aside from all this, generative AIs leave a worrying environmental footprint and I don't think we are at a time when our planet can take any more.
artist understood as any creative person like: singer, musician, actor, director, voice actor, sculptor, etc.
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