Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool for creating images and art from text descriptions. Services like DALL-E 21, Midjourney2, and NightCafe3 allow anyone to generate realistic and original pictures with just a few words. Some of these AI-generated images have even won prizes in art competitions4 or been mistaken for human-made artworks5.
But does this mean that human art is losing its value or relevance? Not at all, according to some experts and artists who argue that human creativity and expression are irreplaceable and essential for our culture and society.
The limits of AI art
While AI art can be impressive and surprising, it also has some limitations that prevent it from fully capturing the essence and meaning of human art. For one thing, AI art is often based on existing data and images that it has learned from, which means that it may lack originality or novelty. As Lee Unkrich, one of Pixar’s most distinguished animators, says: “They [AI image generators] restructure the new pictures in a way no human is likely to think of, filling in details most of us wouldn’t have the artistry to imagine, let alone the skills to execute. But they can also be instructed to generate more variations of something we like, in whatever style we want — in seconds. This, ultimately, is their most powerful advantage: They can make new things that are relatable and comprehensible but, at the same time, completely unexpected.”2
However, this also means that AI art may not reflect the personal vision or intention of the creator, or convey a deeper message or emotion that resonates with the audience. As Unkrich adds: “But they can’t tell stories. They can’t create characters we care about or worlds we want to explore. They can’t make us laugh or cry or think. They can’t make us feel anything.”2
Another limitation of AI art is that it may not be able to handle complex or abstract concepts that go beyond the literal or visual representation of words. For example, DALL-E 2, which can create images from text descriptions, has difficulty generating images that require logical reasoning, common sense, or cultural knowledge. As its creators explain: “DALL·E 2 sometimes creates images that are inconsistent with the text prompt or with common sense. For example, it may draw objects floating in mid-air when they should be resting on a surface, or it may draw objects that are too large or too small relative to other objects in the scene.”1
Moreover, AI art may not be able to capture the subtleties and nuances of human language and communication, such as irony, sarcasm, humor, or metaphor. As one study found: “AI-generated images often fail to capture irony and humor in text prompts. For example, when given the prompt ‘a portrait of Dorian Gray as he really was’, DALL-E 2 generates an image of a young man holding a painting of an old man, rather than an image of an old man holding a painting of a young man.”
The value of human art
Human art, on the other hand, has some advantages that AI art cannot match. For one thing, human art is driven by human emotions and experiences, which give it a unique and personal touch that can connect with other humans on a deeper level. As David Hockney, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, says: “Art has always been made by people who care about something deeply.”
Human art also reflects human values and perspectives, which can challenge or inspire us to think differently about ourselves and the world around us. As Ai Weiwei, one of the most prominent contemporary artists and activists, says: “Art is not an end but a beginning. It is a question mark not an answer.”
Human art also evolves and adapts with human culture and history, which gives it a richness and diversity that AI art may not be able to capture or reproduce. As Marina Abramović, one of the pioneers of performance art, says: “Art must be life — it must belong to everybody.”
The future of art
Does this mean that AI art and human art are incompatible or in competition? Not necessarily. Some experts and artists suggest that AI art and human art can coexist and complement each other in the future of art. For example, some see AI art as a tool or a medium that can enhance or expand human creativity and expression. As Unkrich says: “I don’t see these tools as replacing humans; I see them as augmenting humans.”
Others see AI art as a source or a partner that can inspire or collaborate with human artists. As Mario Klingemann, one of the pioneers of AI art, says: “I see myself as an explorer who uses machines as his vessels or instruments to discover new spaces.”
In conclusion, AI art is an amazing phenomenon that showcases the power and potential of artificial intelligence. However, it does not diminish or replace the importance and value of human art, which remains essential for our culture and society. Rather than seeing them as rivals or threats, we can embrace them as allies or friends in the future of art.
