Tags: #aichat #creative
03/15/2025 *****Future of AI and art/technology Back to the AI discussion. One I meant to discuss with you the other week was a story of two art students. One went towards AI created art, and so after a while the traditional art student started to notice them drifting apart, and kind of ‘gatekeeping’, with the standard public opinion of ai art not being art. You can guess what most people’s responses were; but thinking about it, I and some people tried explaining that yes, perhaps ai art is ‘easy’ to do since ai-creations are going through a sort of infancy to pubescence, but similar to making video games (or anything involving a computer), it starts out basic and (maybe) easy, but evolves to an incredible skillset. ChatGPT said: That’s an interesting discussion. The split between traditional artists and those experimenting with AI-generated art is definitely a hot topic, and it seems to evoke strong opinions from both sides. AI art, especially right now, often comes with the “it’s cheating” mentality from some, while others argue that it’s just another medium, like photography or digital painting, where the artist’s input still plays a significant role.
Your point about AI being in its “infancy to pubescence” is a compelling analogy. When video games started, they were incredibly basic, but over time, as technology advanced, they became intricate, with incredible artistry, storytelling, and gameplay. AI art is a similar process—it might seem basic or “easy” now, but as technology and techniques evolve, it could become as nuanced and sophisticated as any other art form. It’s the beginning of a new toolset for expression, not necessarily something that diminishes traditional art, but rather complements it.
The gatekeeping aspect is tough, though. It feels like people want to protect traditional methods and skills, and AI disrupts that, which leads to the “this isn’t real art” mentality. But, in a way, the tools themselves don’t necessarily define art—it’s about what the artist creates with those tools.
Do you see AI art as a tool that could eventually blend with or enhance traditional art forms, or do you think it will carve out its own niche?
You said: I wish for the former, but I think it’ll be the latter, much like the stage music went through from the 80’s to 00’s with synth-pop giving to digital and mixing/techno. ChatGPT said: Memory updated That’s a solid comparison. Just like how music evolved from synth-pop into more electronic and digital forms, AI art seems like it could follow a similar trajectory—starting as a tool that mixes with traditional methods but eventually becoming its own distinct genre. Over time, it could have its own creative voice and space, with artists using it in ways that we haven’t even fully envisioned yet.
It’s a bit like how digital music production tools didn’t replace musicians—they opened up new avenues of creativity. Perhaps AI will evolve to a point where it’s another way for artists to explore their ideas, but it won’t fully replace traditional artistry.
Do you think there’s any chance of a resurgence or fusion of older methods and AI in a way that feels organic, like how older genres still influence newer ones in music?
You said: It’s kind of happening a little bit already, many indie and basic devs using easy ai art for photos in video game backgrounds and such. ChatGPT said: Memory updated Exactly! It’s already starting to happen. Indie developers, with fewer resources, are leveraging AI art to fill in gaps, like background images or assets, which allows them to focus their energy on other aspects of the game. It’s a great way to save time and effort while still having a visually appealing product. This shows that AI art can work as a supplement to traditional art, rather than replacing it entirely.
As the tech improves, I’m sure we’ll see more nuanced uses of AI in art, whether it’s in games, animation, or even physical art. The potential for a hybrid approach—where AI assists or enhances traditional creation—seems to be the direction where the most interesting and innovative work will be done.
Do you think the use of AI in these projects will eventually be seen as a legitimate artistic choice, or will it remain something more practical or utilitarian?
You said: I’m not sure, but I do envision a time sooner than later where just as people specialized in SEO or CSS, they’ll be people specializing in AI-visual input, being able to describe in minutia exactly what kind of art they want the end product to be. ChatGPT said: Memory updated That’s a fascinating idea! As AI-generated art becomes more advanced, there’s definitely a growing need for people who can act as “curators” or “directors” of the creative process, guiding the AI with detailed descriptions and refining the outputs to align with specific visions. Similar to how SEO specialists can make sure web content is optimized for search engines, these AI-visual specialists could optimize prompts and refine outputs to create the exact type of art needed.
It’ll also bring a whole new layer of expertise into the creative field—combining both the technical knowledge of AI and the artistic sense of what works visually. It could be as much about the ability to communicate clearly with AI as it is about understanding art in a traditional sense.
Do you think this kind of specialization will become a key role in certain industries, like gaming or digital media?
You said: Eventually, yea, those liberal arts degrees in ‘art history’/appreciation could actually come in handy telling ai “I want some Mon’e here with the stylistic integrity of reductivist modernism” and it would make sense to them, and the AI. ChatGPT said: Memory updated Exactly! As AI becomes more sophisticated, the ability to describe and guide it with the precision of an art historian or someone trained in art appreciation could become a valuable skill. It’s like being able to speak the language of the AI in a way that makes sense to both the machine and the artist. Those with backgrounds in different art movements, techniques, and styles could translate those ideas into detailed prompts that yield the most accurate and stylistically consistent results.
It’s kind of like a modern bridge between technology and classical artistic knowledge. The AI would rely on these specialists to translate high-level artistic concepts into clear, actionable instructions, and in turn, it would create art that aligns more closely with specific traditions, movements, or even individual artists’ styles.
This shift could really change how art is created, not just in digital spaces, but also in the broader industry. Do you think this could lead to a resurgence of interest in traditional art education, as people start realizing the importance of understanding art movements and history when working with AI?
You said: Just as much hope in that as in the “21 questions for the 21st century” author talking about self-driving cars, where philosophy could spurn a new interest in having the ‘altruist altima’ or the ‘musk egoist’ as your driving AI decision-making. ChatGPT said: Memory updated That’s a really interesting comparison! Just like how self-driving cars could end up with different moral frameworks based on their algorithms—altruist, egoist, etc.—AI art could be influenced by the values and principles of the people guiding it. In the case of cars, it’s about who’s making ethical decisions for the machine. In the case of AI art, it’s about guiding the machine’s creative decisions. Both could be shaped by philosophical or ethical considerations.
The idea of using philosophy to influence AI behavior could lead to an entirely new wave of thought and interest in fields like ethics, decision-making, and even artistic interpretation. Maybe traditional education, like philosophy or art history, could not only have a renewed role in how we interact with AI but also in how we choose to shape the future of technology itself. It’s fascinating to think about how these ideas could evolve in the coming years.
Do you think, in the future, there might be a need for new ethical or philosophical standards when it comes to guiding AI in creative tasks, like setting boundaries or choosing styles?