I have posted my thought about Generative AI in creatives industry, particularly with Illustration back in Dec 2022. It was the time where all the Generative AI tools started to bloom and come into public access. NO-AI movement on Artstation also started during that month.
It has been 1 year since then, where are the creatives’ standing against AI? No-AI movement seem to had quiet down, creatives are coming back to Artstation. The so call protective glazing layer against AI learning doesn’t seem to be working effectively. While on the other hand, AI has been growing. Midjourney released their V6, NAI also coming up with their V3, open source Stable Diffusion is going crazy with all the plugin as well as their SDXL model.
It seems there is no way back against AI when even larger and copyright concern firm started to use AI in their promotional material. Wacom, a digital drawing table company was getting a backfired from using generative Art in one of their New Year Promotion banner, where they have used a stock image from Adobe without even proper inspection.
Where is my stance in this AI context?
I am a more middle-path man in this scenario. I welcome the new technology but on the other hand the technology should be used in a regulated ways. We cannot deny the fact that eventually technologies will replace a manual skill and it had been proven since centuries ago.
However, current generative AI was trained on copyrighted materials, and a lot of them were scrapped without original creator’s approval. This is definitely a thieving behaviour. Although most AI provider claimed that they have no rights to the generated content but the platform is there for general public to misuse.
Until the “copyrighted” issue is solved (which I would say is impossible), all AI generated content should be limited to personal used only. One can of course post their “AI-Gen Art” and tagged them as “AI-Generated”/”AIArt”. I strongly disfavour the action of claiming oneself an Artist when they use AIArt, and further self-proven with AI generated sketches. Any artist who draw can easily spot the flaws!!!!!!
What should creatives do?
Learn the technology
On the other hand, I am very positive on how Generative AI can help in the progress of an Artist (to be precise learning/part-time/hobbyist Artist). Setting aside skills, knowledges and experiences, what differentiate between a Pro and an Amateur artist is the drawing mileage. By using Generative AI, which function as a gigantic imaginary catalogue can help to fill in the mileage gap. Generative AI greatly accelerate the brainstorming process during creation, it works like a image search engine but in a more precise ways. Using plug-in like control-net can fit the images into required context. Pair with good references, the creation process and quality will be enhanced. Though, the key here is not to get LAZY. Remember, only a strong fundamental and true creativity carry your art career forward.
Educate your communities
I do not have the actual data, but I would say that the Artist communities (amateur and pro) is around 0.7-0.8% of the world population. Artist voices are actually very small in this sense. I once discussed with my non-artist friend about AI art, and he said he cant differentiate between a real Artist art and an AI generated image. In merely 2 years time, AI had been so advanced that normal public cannot realize the differences.
In general, public do not really care if a content is man-made or generated, they either like it or swipe it away. It comes to the artist “responsibility” to educate and raise awareness of the public about the AI content. Even though artist community is small, but when all artist come together, their community reach in public is very wide!! Share the AI images, pointed out the flaws, diss them and slowly people and communities around will be affected. Big professional artist with big followings shall really work on this education, to reach more audiences and make people realize what are junk AI art. Junk foods are good to have once in a while, but they are unhealthy, so do AI generated “Art”.
Stop witch hunting
Finally, stop witch hunting! If there is no infringement of copyright, why will you waste your time to prove one is AI-artist? If you like the art you leave a like and a follow; if you don’t, you swipe it away, that simple. Hatred and conflicts kills creativity. I have seen people witch-hunt on real artist, the debates are naïve and full of stupidity. I condemn any profitable and commercial act using AI generated images. However, if AI can make someone interested in Art and making image then I would say it is a good start. AI will be part of the next Art Movement!
What do I want to see in big companies?
If a company make money by using creatives or selling to creatives, then they shouldn’t be using any AI generated images for their content. Laying of creatives because AI can do the job is CRAPS! A lot of companies already exploited the Artist talent by underpaying the artist, and now they went to overstep the boundaries by cutting the job, using AI as an excuse.
I want to see companies putting money in nurturing talents. AI is build upon current talents and creativity. If you want to cut cost in your promotional material, you can always employ a entry/junior artist for the job. A good art does not need to be perfect art, but an art that convey messages.
Companies should also filter thoroughly for AI content especially when putting their work into the public. People now have keen eyes on generated images.
What do I expect to see from AI prompters?
Pick up the tools and do it yourself! Being a prompter is easy. All you need is to put in the right prompt, select the right parameters and models, paid for electricity and GPU power, within seconds you get what you want in a rather random manner.
Learn to draw or take photograph on the subject your are interested in, take control of the creation process, get 100% rights to your creation, wouldn’t that be convincing for your to jump into the creation? Nowadays, it is not that hard to pick up a skill given ample information available for free on the internet.
During the course of history, there are always new technology that revolutionize the industry, e.g EV shaking up the whole ICE automotives. The replacement is inevitable but how do we cope with the revolution? Are we gonna sit and complaint? Do we adapt to the technology?
If you ever observe, the professional artist (the top 10%) seldom complain about Generative AI, Why? Because they are busy drawings, solving art problems, coming up with lawsuit against AI, working on new project, outlining new policies, summing up all these works they seldom have time to really go on the net to argue about AI’s art.
Art is like a self-practice, when you mind your own business, eventually you will get better with it. When you build your style and your community, that is the true protective layers to your art. Audience will straight away recognize when your art was used in an AI, and your community will be out for the war!
Quit yapping and Start drawing!!
(That’s a pretty long nonsense here, I will ask ChatGPT to rewrite *bonk)
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