[Editors note: We thank Binay Kumar Pandey for his opinions. This article are his opinions and have been unedited by Chronicle Chamber. Each member of Chronicle Chamber have their own views on this matter like majority of the article's readers. We hope this article will bring about an open discussion on this topic. We would also suggest listening to our podcast on the subject with Phantom artist Grange Wallis.]
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken the world by storm, entering industries far beyond technology,
including the creative arts. From generating stunning artwork to helping designers and artists
explore new visual ideas, AI’s presence in creative fields is growing rapidly. But this rise in AI-
generated content brings along a mix of excitement and controversy. While AI offers new tools for
artists, it also raises questions about originality, copyright, and the future of human creativity.
If you are connected to any art related forum on social media, like comics or paintings, chances are,
you may have read about this ongoing debate about banning AI created artwork. The artist
community is very vocal about this, as they claim that AI engines are basically stealing their work and
letting anyone create similar images based on their own art. Some of them tagged AI work as
plagiarism as this new art created by copying existing artist’s work with no permission or
compensation.
In this article, we’ll explore how AI works in the world of image artwork, look at the arguments for
and against its use, discuss recent legal concerns about copyright, and suggest how artists can
embrace AI to enhance their creativity in ethical ways.
How AI Works: A Simplified Explanation
At its core, AI used for creating images (such as deep learning models) relies on massive amounts of
data to “learn.” In simple terms, AI is trained by feeding it thousands or even millions of images. It
then analyzes patterns, shapes, colors, and relationships between these elements. After enough
training, the AI model can generate new images based on what it has learned. These models include
tools like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) or diffusion models that are specifically designed
to produce realistic or imaginative visual content. These models consist of two neural networks: a
generator and a discriminator. The generator creates new content, while the discriminator evaluates
it against a vast dataset of real examples. Through a process of trial and error, the generator learns
to produce content that is increasingly indistinguishable from human-created work.
For example, an AI model might be trained on thousands of images of landscapes. When asked to
generate a new landscape, it doesn’t copy any one image from its training set but creates something
entirely new, based on what it has learned about what a “landscape” typically looks like.
This process might sound magical, but it’s important to understand that the AI isn’t "creative" in the
human sense. It doesn’t have original ideas, but instead, recombines and reinterprets existing data
into something new. So, even if AI engines are trying to mimic what any new artist will do, train and
learn from existing materials of other artists, it is not the same as human artists creating their own
art inspired by some other artist’s artwork. In the case of AI, it is not inspiration, but copying the
images and ideas from existing artist’s work. And as per copyright law, it is illegal to do so. Although
as we know, any legal battle is going to take time, and not sure how easy it will be to prove that an
AI created image is copied from someone’s work. The problem is, it is not illegal to study the
available art for research purposes, as it is covered under “Fair Use policy” of copyright law. Almost
all AI image dataset is utilising this fair use policy to train their engine and create their model.
Basically, artists today are fighting a battle in the 21st century, and they have laws to protect their
interest written in the 19th century.
Any other graphic design tool like Photoshop and AI are not same. Yes, AI engines are a tool, but not
for artists. It is a tool for non-artists to generate new artwork by simply defining some ideas.
Photoshop or any other image editing tool enhances the artist’s capability, letting them do their job
much faster and with more ease. This engine cannot let artists do anything, but provide some
instructions to replicate images from various sources, and generate a new one.
Having said all these things, ban, artist protests, legality issues and all, the AI revolution in the art
industry is inevitable. Just like the Industrial revolution, we are witnessing the AI revolution, and it is
not just art, soon we will see the impact of this new technology in other areas of society. We can
regulate it, refine the laws to protect the work of artists from being “consumed” by these AI engines
without their consent. But we cannot stop AI from being the largest producer of artwork in the near
future. The artists community will struggle, and the most impacted individuals are the students or
new upcoming artists, still trying to learn and hold their foot into this world. We need to accept the
fact that AI is not going away, and with regular enhancements, soon it may not need to “consume”
or learn from other artist’s artwork. An AI engine can use free available artwork to create its dataset,
and use that to create new original artwork against simple prompts. Maybe some AI engine
companies will pay some artists to create and provide artwork for their AI to consume and enhance
the capabilities. It looks like we can address the ethical and legal part related to these new AI
engines, but the fact remains that there is a strong future of AI generated art. And this future is not
very bright for lots of existing artists as they will find less assignments due to AI taking over the
majority share of their workload. There will be non-artist people or companies that will get these
assignments, and will run past multiple prompts to generate multiple new artwork in a short span of
time. You may still need some artist to do touch-up or editing on the AI generated artwork, but the
work and pay for these artists will be very less. Similar changes have already happened in other
fields that have disrupted the entire industry and taken away almost the entire job of those
communities. The manual work of craftsmen like carpenters or blacksmith is replaced with machines
creating all kinds of stuff much faster and cheaper. A similar creative example would be
photography. With today’s mobile phone camera and tons of filters, anyone without any knowledge
of photography can become a professional photographer. High end video cameras in your mobile
phone have resulted in many individuals creating really good content videos without any knowledge
of video shooting or editing.
Any new technology or tool will create some disruption in the existing way of doing things. Even in
the field of art, the introduction of tools & processes like Photoshop, digital colouring had impacted
the existing artist, as the new generation of artists were much more efficient and started providing
faster results using these new techniques. It was obvious that the majority of new assignments went
to these new generation artists.
The Pros and Cons of AI in Creative Fields
There are arguments for and against the use of AI in creative fields, as communities are very vocal on
this topic. There are merit in both side’s arguments, so let’s discuss some of the key arguments on
this topic.
Arguments in support of the Use of AI in Creative Fields
1. Efficiency and Productivity
AI tools can save artists time and effort by automating certain parts of the creative process. For
example, AI can quickly generate visual ideas, assist in color correction, or help artists test various
design options. This means artists can focus on refining their final pieces, making their workflow
faster and more efficient.
2. Expansion of Creativity
AI can serve as a creative partner, inspiring artists to think outside their usual box. By offering
unexpected combinations of styles or elements, AI tools help break creative blocks. In fact, many
digital artists already use AI to experiment with concepts they wouldn’t have considered otherwise.
3. Democratization of Art
Previously, making high-quality digital art required specialized skills and expensive software. Now,
thanks to AI tools, anyone with access to a computer or smartphone can create impressive visual
content. This opens the door for more people to engage in creative work, regardless of their
background or expertise.
Arguments Against the Use of AI in Creative Fields
1. Lack of Originality
Critics argue that AI-generated art lacks the emotional depth and originality that comes from human
creativity. While AI can imitate styles or techniques, it cannot replicate the feelings and personal
experiences that make traditional artwork so meaningful.
2. Copyright and Ownership Concerns
The ownership of AI-generated art is a complex legal issue, with questions arising about whether AI
can hold copyright. Since AI models are trained using existing images (often without explicit
permission from creators), there is concern about the potential for copyright infringement. Artists
argue that their work is being used without consent, and some believe that AI is unfairly profiting
from their creations.
3. Job Displacement
There is concern that the rise of AI-generated content could devalue the work of human artists. If AI
can create stunning artwork in seconds, will people still be willing to pay for art created by human
hands? Many worry that AI could lead to fewer job opportunities for designers and visual artists.
Legal Landscape and Ethical Considerations
A key issue with AI-generated images is copyright. Who owns the rights to an image created by AI? Is
it the artist who trained the AI, the AI itself (if it could hold rights), or perhaps no one at all?
The U.S. Copyright Office has taken a clear stand: it does not grant copyright to fully AI-generated
works. This decision was reinforced in a recent case involving an artist who used AI to create a
graphic novel. The Copyright Office ruled that because the images were generated entirely by AI,
they could not be copyrighted, as copyright is reserved for works created by humans. However, this
decision has been met with both support and criticism.
There have also been legal cases involving AI training data. For instance, some artists have sued
companies that create AI tools for using their copyrighted images without permission during
training. These cases highlight the need for clearer guidelines on how AI tools should gather and use
data.
To address these issues, it is essential to develop clear legal frameworks that define ownership,
licensing, and liability related to AI-generated content. Additionally, ethical guidelines can help
ensure that AI is used responsibly and in a way that benefits both artists and society.
What Laws Need to Change?
There is currently a lack of clear legal frameworks around AI in creative industries. This requires
brainstorming and detailed discussions, but here are some areas where laws could evolve for sure.
1. Data Usage Regulations
AI models should be trained on data that has been properly licensed or that falls under public
domain. Laws could be introduced to ensure that artists' work is protected from being used without
their consent.
2. Attribution Rights
If an AI tool uses an artist’s work to generate new content, the original creator could be given proper
credit. Legal frameworks could ensure that artists are recognized or even compensated when their
work is used as training data.
3. Ethical Guidelines for AI in Art
Governments and industry leaders could work together to establish ethical guidelines for the use of
AI in creative fields. These could include best practices for transparency, artist compensation, and
copyright compliance.
Embracing AI as a Tool
If the artists need to survive, they need to learn this new tool, and adapt accordingly. Rather than
viewing AI as a threat, artists can leverage it as a powerful tool to enhance their creativity. By
understanding how AI works and experimenting with different tools, artists can explore new
possibilities and push their boundaries. They have the capability to edit and update the AI generated
results, to make it way better than any non-artist producing it from an AI engine. I will quote an
example of photography. You can experiment and click nice professional looking photos using your
mobile camera and filters, but you know that for any professional job, you need to hire a real
professional photographer. This is going to be the ruleset for the artist community as well. Any client
willing to get the artwork done, will be hiring real professional artists, not some kids who can
experiment and will have no control on the outcome. So, in order to survive, the existing artists need
to be in control of AI tools and able to produce artwork according to their client’s need, no matter if
that is generated using AI, or manually, or a mix of both. This is only possible when they start using
AI as a helping tool, and then enhance the results using their existing artistic skills. AI can also be
used for tasks such as generating ideas, creating sketches, or adding special effects. Here are some
ways artists can use AI effectively.
1. Idea Generation
AI tools like DALL·E or MidJourney can help artists quickly generate ideas, concepts, or rough
sketches to build on. This saves time and can inspire new directions for projects. AI can also be used
to quickly generate rough concept art for any project, to showcase the idea with client, and get
feedback, even if the final output will be created later by artist, using their preferred mode of
creativity.
2. Automating Repetitive Tasks
AI can assist in automating time-consuming tasks like photo editing, color correction, or pattern
generation, allowing artists to focus on the more creative aspects of their work. This can help artist
not just in reducing the delivery time, but also in putting more time/effort on specific subject,
enhancing overall results.
3. Collaboration
Artists can collaborate with AI tools to create hybrid works. This can lead to innovative styles and
approaches, blending human creativity with AI’s ability to process vast amounts of information
quickly. As we know AI generated images are experimental, and may not be able to fulfil the
requirement. So, with artist’s own capability, the AI’s initial result can be enhanced, and adopted to
the actual requirement, leading in faster delivery.
Conclusion
AI is undoubtedly reshaping the creative landscape, especially in image artwork. While it offers
powerful tools that can enhance creativity and make art more accessible, it also raises significant
concerns about copyright, ownership, and artistic integrity. Moving forward, it’s crucial to strike a
balance between innovation and respect for artists’ rights.
As AI continues to evolve, it is crucial for artists, policymakers, and technologists to work together to
shape its future. With appropriate legal reforms, ethical guidelines, and thoughtful integration, AI
can become a valuable tool for artists, rather than a competitor. By embracing AI, artists can not
only safeguard their work but also expand their creative horizons.
In the end, you call for its boycott, you blame it for plagiarism, you sue them, but you simply can’t
ignore these AI tools. Although AI's current capabilities are akin to rudimentary software like MS
Paint, but its evolution promises increased sophistication akin to industry-standard tools like
Photoshop. This technology will get more and more enhanced over time. So, it is better to accept
this new force and use it to your advantage. Consequently, it is imperative to engage in open
discussions and enact regulatory frameworks conducive to ethical and legal AI utilisation. Simply
vilifying AI-generated art fails to address underlying concerns, necessitating collective efforts to
navigate the ethical landscape of AI in art.
Written by: Binay Kumar Pandey
Email: bkpandey@gmail.com
Disclaimer: While not directly involved in the art field, I empathise with the concerns expressed by
artist friends. Open dialogue is essential for dispelling misconceptions and addressing anxiety
surrounding AI's role in art.
[Editors note: We thank Binay Kumar Pandey for his opinions. This article are his opinions and have been unedited by Chronicle Chamber. Each member of Chronicle Chamber have their own views on this matter like majority of the article's readers. We hope this article will bring about an open discussion on this topic. We would also suggest listening to our podcast on the subject with Phantom artist Grange Wallis.]
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