Did AI Kill the Art Star?
Although it may seem as if Artificial Intelligence (AI) has suddenly inundated our lives, the reality is quite different. AI has been around for decades, quietly evolving beneath our notice, and most of us have paid little attention to its presence. However, in recent years, the widespread use of software such as ChatGPT or Midjourney has prompted concerns about AI's impact, especially within the realm of art.
The primary worry is that true art may vanish. AI is now capable of generating articles, stories, poems, illustrations, animations, and more in a matter of seconds. It can produce creative works that could take an artist months to create. Additionally, AI production is significantly cheaper, and virtually anyone can use it – you don't need to be an artist to generate content with the right command in a software.
While these concerns hold merit, I believe we are still a long way from replacing human artists with software. Reflecting on my recent experience writing my first rhymed children's book (the first of many, I hope!), I encountered the challenge of finding an artist to illustrate my work. Despite exploring various avenues, I only discovered that many artists were utilizing different AI tools (some claimed otherwise, but familiarity with these tools made it easy to discern their use). Consequently, the illustrations I received from different artists lacked ingenuity and uniqueness, which was very frustrating for me.
In my pursuit, just when I was on the verge of giving up and started learning to draw and illustrate myself, I stumbled upon a Facebook post echoing my concerns: "Is there no artist who draws by hand anymore?" It was then in the comment section that I encountered a magical drawing of a house by Andreja Karba. Unable to contain my excitement, I reached out to her immediately to inquire about her availability and pricing.
Andreja responded with such kindness that it added even more magic to her drawing. Despite my initial plan to take a break from spending more money on the book after already spending more than I could, her illustrations lingered in my thoughts. Faced with the realization that waiting for the right time might never come, I decided to work with Andreja and initiate the creative process.
While all the illustrations will be ready in a few weeks, I am already confident that AI will not be able to reach the level of artistry demonstrated by human creators, not anytime soon anyway. Genuine art moves something inside you – it reflects a line of thought, interpretation, a careful choice of color palette, past experiences, the artist's interests, aesthetics, and a story within a story. Witnessing such art draws you in, creating a desire to freeze the moment and immerse yourself in the world the artist has crafted. And that is exactly what Andreja's art has done to me.
Andreja brings the story I wrote to life, making it extraordinarily beautiful with each illustration she sends my way. It's easy to see the effort poured into every illustration, leaving me enchanted by her creation. The illustrations serve as a sort of window to her unique view of the story, creating an interesting conversation between image and text, not just a drawing of the written word. To top it up, she is not only talented but also one of the nicest people I've had the pleasure of working with. Communication through written language doesn't always convey warmth, but with Andreja, every message is a beautifully colored and welcoming expression.
She graciously shared time-lapsed videos of the illustration process, allowing us to witness the wonderful journey of creating art. While the future may introduce AI software attempting to replicate this magic, I remain skeptical. AI has its place and offers countless benefits, but creating art, rooted in emotion, is an aspect where these benefits may not extend. This is not to suggest competition, as there are many ways AI can complement human creativity. Utilizing AI can assist artists in automating repetitive tasks, providing inspiration, generating initial drafts or sketches, and more. Ultimately, the true magic of art lies in the unique and irreplaceable expression of the human spirit. The way I see it, this is something AI will never be able to replace due to its fundamentally different thinking process.
To all the artists out there, don't lose sleep over the idea of AI replacing your role in the world. There is always room for more beauty in this world, and what you do is truly special. No entity, not even AI, can take away the uniqueness and specialty inherent in your creations.
And to Andreja, if you ever read this, I am privileged to have found you and to have you as such an integral part of this book. I'm sure that whoever lays their hands on your creation will feel the same. Thank you!
*To contact Andreja and see more of her work, visit her website at https://andrejakarba.si/
