Dear Babs, 

I have been following a lot of the conversations about AI-generated art and I’m concerned that it’s going to be bad for artists. I’m worried it’s going to steal from existing artwork the algorithm vacuums up and make it so people don’t value the skill it takes to make real art in the real world. I’m concerned because the AI art I’ve seen so far looks really cringe, like it was made by someone who doesn’t think about how art communicates other than through flourishes and fantasy. Should I be worried and what can I do about my concerns?

—Alarmed About AI

Dear Alarmed About AI,

AI-generated art has been a hot topic in the art world for some time now, and it’s understandable that you’re concerned about its impact. On one hand, AI can open new opportunities for artists to create unique and innovative works. For example, the contemporary artist Refik Anadol uses AI to create large-scale installations that combine light, sound and architecture. His works push the boundaries of traditional art forms and offer a unique viewing experience.

However, there are also negative aspects of AI-generated art that are worth considering. Some artists and critics argue that AI-generated works lack the human touch essential to the creation of meaningful art. Furthermore, the algorithms used to generate these works often rely on existing art for inspiration, which can result in the replication of existing styles and motifs.

This is where artists like Trevor Paglen come in, whose work exposes the problems posed by artificial intelligence. For instance, Paglen’s “Training Images” series draws attention to the potential dangers of AI and machine-learning by highlighting the biases and shortcomings of the algorithms used to train these systems.

In conclusion, while AI-generated art can bring exciting new possibilities to the art world, it’s also important to be mindful of its limitations and potential dangers. I would encourage you to continue to explore and engage with the conversation surrounding AI-generated art and to support artists like Paglen who are exposing the critical issues posed by this technology.