07 Dec Genuinely Human

We are at a unique point in history—a moment when machine intelligence is beginning to surpass our own. We increasingly turn to AI for answers or to perform complex or time-consuming tasks.

While AI is a remarkable achievement, as an artist, I wonder about the future of Art. Will AI replace us? Devalue us? How will the art world change?

These may seem like small questions, but are they?

Can a machine be sophisticated enough to create inspiring works of Art?
The answer is yes.

Art functions like a psychological machine, one with many moving parts. It exercises empathy, enlightens, and inspires us. It expands perspectives and encourages us to exist beyond our own experiences. In short, Art transports our imagination.

Through Art, we are prompted to imagine, understand, and connect with the feelings and stories of others. Art stimulates deep reflections in our minds, illuminating our boundless inner nature and fueling our imagination. We appreciate Art, and in turn, it cultivates a greater understanding of our place in the world, which is inherently intertwined with the collective human journey. However, if machines are now creating Art, in what direction is our ‘journey’ heading?

Is our inner human world and outer human culture being shaped and influenced by the machine world? Does it matter? These are questions we all face. It may be too early—or perhaps too late—to speculate on what will happen next. We need to remain observant and consider these questions as we move forward.

Content is Culture

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a machine learning technology that trains itself on human-created content. What happens if we begin to make less genuine content and rely on AI instead? How does this affect culture? What is the affect over time?

Ultimately, AI is a tool.

Tools are what we make.

The invention of basic tools allowed our ancestors to hunt more effectively, process food, and build shelters, significantly broadening our chances of survival.

As tools advanced, they allowed us to cultivate crops and domesticate animals. This facilitated larger communities, which gave rise to specialized labour and various trades and crafts.

Each new tool was built upon the successes of previous ones, creating a cumulative effect that propelled human ingenuity forward.

This demonstrates the fundamental human desire to improve our lives, enhance our capabilities, and express our creativity.

We continue to invent and refine our tools and technology, expanding the relationship between human ingenuity and the devices we create. This has undoubtedly shaped us and will continue to do so.

However, I can’t help but be concerned… tools have never been smarter than we are in the past. This begs the question, who is the tool now?

~CJ~

P.S. By the way, all the images in this post were AI-generated. Enjoy.