My honest thoughts on AI Art

We’re living in the AI revolution, and I’ll be honest, I have some mixed feelings about it. Like I’ve always hoped the tech takeover would wash my dishes for me, do the hoovering or maybe help me do the maths behind this business. But instead, it’s using a bottle of water and the charge of a whole smartphone to produce a caricature showing what you already know about your friends. 

I’m not saying I'm totally anti-AI. I’ve used it and probably will continue to. I’m trying to grow this business, and I know there will be times when it will be a useful tool to help me. But, I guess I’m cautious about when and how I use it. 

We are all aware of the huge environmental impact of AI and data centres, as an environmentalist, it worries me. As AI becomes more integrated into our workplaces, homes and daily routines, its impact will be huge. I'm trying to keep AI in a space where it is a useful tool but not something I rely upon. Minimising my environmental impact, and importantly to me, maintaining my artistic credibility.

All artwork I sell is 100% designed and hand-painted by me, and all the blogs you read, I thought of and then typed up with my own two little hands. Why is this important?

I believe artwork is not just about the final product but the production and story that happens behind the scenes. It’s in the skill the artist has developed to make your piece. It’s the passion your artist has to create the work and share it in the world. It’s the conversation, emotions and story you share about the artwork.

Not only do AI images require a huge amount of energy, but they are also likely to infringe on an artist's copyright. When AI models are trained, they use millions of images to understand how things should look. Many of the images are the artists' own works, which they have not consented to be used for this purpose. This can result in images that have lifted an artistic style or are unfairly close to an originally produced artwork. That’s not cool. 

So what do I use AI for? I use AI as another team member in the business when I really need it. I am running this show alone, so when I come across areas I’m not an expert in (like tax or business insurance), AI can help me brainstorm and understand these areas. But I try to make sure I only turn to it when I’ve done my own research, and I’m really not understanding the areas I need to. And when no one in my network can help me. 

I hope you consider your consumption of AI media and think about where the artwork you love comes from. How has AI impacted your day to day, and when do you use it?