The Plot
How do we plate with purpose?
Is art the process or the product? This is a question the world didn’t quite expect to ask as AI took over the art world; generating copies of art styles from popular animations like Studio Ghibli’s expressive character designs. Society buzzed and argued whether copying art styles through AI is unethical or a useful innovation. Here lies the question: “Is AI a great tool for art progression, or is it regressive in depleting human creativity?”
thoughts on AI?
Most argue art has always evolved through inspiration like how Picasso learned from Cézanne, Van Gogh studied Japanese prints—hence, AI is doing the same. However, artists who copy another’s work take time to transact with their cultural environment; learning beliefs, meanings, and habits to complete it. In this sense, art is the process, and image generators are not artists.
Let’s take time to appreciate real artists who put meaning into their work. AI, to an extent, can be regressive; it’s often observed for showing hegemonic views and stereotypes sourced from existing biased data humans programmed into it. According to a UP Fine Arts alumni, art will always be an artist’s translation of the world and how they perceive it. It’s a good reminder that even AI came from human imagination, reminding us not to confuse it as better than us.
