The birth of AI had begun when notable figures such as Alan Turing and John McCarthy came together to research machine-like thinking. In the 1950’s, the Turing Test was conducted, where the scientists had raised the question from philosophical notions; “Can a machine think?”
Years later by 1956, the term Artificial Intelligence was made official when researchers discovered that the machines were capable of mimicking human behavior and dialect.
Since then, developers from all over the world have strived to enhance AI’s intelligence, refining its thinking processes to better accommodate the needs of its users, research wise.
Originally, the main purpose of AI was to make it an accessible research engine and conversation bot, but lately it has been used to create art, which only goes into depth about AI’s power. The question we should be asking is, should artists feel threatened?
From paintings and architecture to music and cinema, all forms of art begin with creativity, craftsmanship, and execution. These skills are among the many reasons why art is so important to the human spirit. But when depth, meaning, and purpose can be derived from a piece of art, it can be appreciated for more than just the craftsmanship of it. It becomes sentimental. Furthermore when we find something with sentimental value, our instincts are to protect it.
So given AI’s ability to replicate humanistic creative expression, we can’t help but wonder if we are losing the experience of appreciating art for more than just the craftsmanship. If art can be so easily replicated and with so little effort from a machine / computer, what’s the point? What makes the entirety of “art” special anymore?
“Art is a form of self expression. There’s different forms of art. Some can be pottery, painting, or even some forms of dancing. AI can’t imitate the meaning behind that,” said Sophia Garza, a freshman here at Pitman High School.
“When I first saw AI generated art, I thought it looked too perfect, like something was missing. Everyone has their own charm, taste, and style. Unlike AI,” she continues.
Well we know one thing is for sure: AI is not human. AI may be able to “think” as a machine, but it does not obtain a human conscience. AI cannot feel nor truly express the depth of a human’s heart and we have to keep that in mind because an artist’s passion is what makes art…art. AI is no artist!