AI-Created Images

Illustration generated using DALL·E 2.

Written by Ian Bowie

Release your creative spirit

Have you ever wished you could draw, I know I have. Whether you believe in fairy godmothers or not, sometimes wishes really do come true; in this case in the form of DALL-E, DreamStudio, and others, AI solutions specifically created for the budding artist in us all.

Of course the jury is still out on whether or not something created by AI is really art, but as far as I’m concerned it is, and should be considered such. After all, the algorithm can only create something if an idea is input and that is the human contribution; for without the human imagination there is nothing to create.

Recently an AI generated picture won the blue ribbon for emerging digital artists at the Colorado State Fair in the US. The decision caused outrage among traditional artists but the artist abided by the rules and the judges stand firmly behind their decision. So it rather looks like a precedent has been set, at least in America, and I see no reason why that precedent shouldn’t be adopted globally.

What is art?

The question of what art is, is very subjective; some would even have us believe it is an unmade bed or a preserved shark. So in a world where seemingly, anything goes, why not algorithm generated art? Granted, the original may well have been created by a human artist, but not necessarily. Once converted to a digital format (NFT) that can be traded online, sometimes for vast sums of money, the artwork ceases to be tangible and becomes ‘non-fungible’, so does even exist at all?

It’s art, but not as we know it

We live in a world where technology is constantly pushing the boundaries of what can and can’t be done. As the borders between the virtual and the actual become more and more blurred, surely there is a case for arguing that something that has been digitally created is an asset that has value, especially if someone is willing to put their hand in their pocket to pay.

As I write this algorithms are busy composing excellent music, and quite probably writing best selling novels to boot. If we enjoy the results, does it matter what the original source of such creation is? Personally, I have no objection to listening to AI composed music while reading a book written by AI with a couple of original AI derived pictures on my wall, and neither, in my opinion, should anyone else. Welcome to the future.