The Dehumanization of The Fine Arts

I recently read an essay (Thanks for inspiring me to talk more about this) about  AI, which mentioned several points that I found interesting, since very few people have addressed them until now, such as the environmental issue related to AI.

But right now, I'd like to delve into this increasingly present and controversial topic in the art world: Artistic AI, or as I like to call it, The Dehumanization of Fine Arts. I think it’s pretty clear where I’m headed with this. We know that thanks to AI and its development, it has allowed us to emulate and simulate the arts, with drawing and painting being the most common examples.

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What I find fascinating about all of this is how, today, AI systems exist that can replicate artistic styles and techniques without direct intervention from an artist, beyond the instructions given. These AIs can learn from thousands of works and styles and generate surprisingly detailed results, though not all of them are perfect, and it's evident in the output. However, this advancement raises a big question about the value of AI-generated art compared to human-created art. Is it possible for a work created by a machine to carry the same emotional, cultural, and human weight as one painted by a human? If you ask me, I’ll say no, just as many artists have expressed their dissatisfaction with it.

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This debate is not limited to the visual arts, of course. The film industry has also begun to experiment with AI, creating some controversy. A clear example of this is the film The Brutalist, directed by Brady Corbet, where AI was used to improve the Hungarian accents of actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones. AI helped refine their pronunciations, something that many consider a useful tool but that also sparked a debate about manipulation. Filmmakers defend its use, but where does help end and alteration begin? What happens to the authenticity of performances when a machine is involved in the process?

From my perspective, in the world of acting, preparation is key to building a genuine performance. I’m not saying Adrien Brody is an exception, in fact, I recognize that great performances deserve all the merit on their own. However, the idea of using AI to perfect details like accent makes me wonder if we are truly recognizing authenticity. I think there would be no problem if AI were used subtly, only when absolutely necessary.

The same thing happened with Late Night with the Devil, a horror film that used AI to generate specific images in some scenes. The revelation that AI played a role in the visual creation of the film caused quite a stir. The filmmakers explained that it was not a replacement for human creativity but a tool to complement the work, but the public wasn’t as convinced. And I wonder, to what extent is it acceptable for a machine to be responsible for the most artistic aspects of a movie?

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And it’s not just in cinema. In literature, we’re also seeing the arrival of AI. One example is 1 the Road (2018), a project where AI generated a story while the author was traveling. It’s a pretty wild concept when you think about it: a text created not by a human, but by a machine that interprets and creates from millions of data points. Undoubtedly, as a creative experiment and educational project, it sounds quite appealing. Then there’s The Day A Computer Writes A Novel (2016), a novel written by AI in Japan that participated in a literary competition and reached the preliminary rounds before being disqualified.

     

More here:

 The Day A Computer Wrote A Novel 

The First Novel Written by AI Is Here—and It’s as Weird as You’d Expect It to Be

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Turning back to digital art, digital artists, also known as AI artists, are using algorithms and networks to create works that challenge traditional notions of creativity. Artists like Refik Anadol and Mario Klingemann are pioneers in this field, creating installations and works that explore the interaction between machines and art. These artists use AI as a medium of expression, developing pieces that blend technology, art, and human experience in unprecedented ways. How authentic is the work we see behind it? Yes, of course, there’s intent involved, as I mentioned before, for an AI to create, it needs to follow instructions. It’s easy for us to write what we want to achieve, even mentioning the feelings and emotions we want to convey… but how genuine is that? How can we value a piece created by an AI that has been trained with the experiences of other artists but has never lived those experiences?

     

More Here:

‘Painting’ with data: how media artist Refik Anadol creates art using generative AI

Artificial Intelligence and the Art of Mario Klingemann

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In summary, AI is invading every corner of art, from literature to music and visual arts. But this raises difficult questions: what makes something art? Is an algorithm capable of creating something truly human? What happens to the emotional connection that, for many, is the essence of art? I worry that as AI slowly becomes normalized in the creative process, we’re losing something important: the humanity behind the work.

AI is dehumanizing art, reducing it to an automated process that lacks the stories, emotions, and experiences that humans pour into their works. By allowing machines to generate art, we lose the deep connection that only a human can have with their own creation. And while technology is a powerful tool, we must ask ourselves if we truly need it in our creative process.

I believe that while AI is a powerful tool, we must be cautious and not rely on it too much.