What About AI Art?

The point of the piece featured is first to illustrate why MadMAT does not feature much AI Art. We value human efforts and skill, and recognize that AI is devaluing artists’ work.

But it’s a complicated issue. There are AI Artists who undoubtedly spend a great deal of time iterating and refining to arrive at work that matches their vision. If they say they are artists, who are we to say otherwise? Then there are some very skilled digital painters who must prove that their work was made by their hand, using video to document their process. An artist may use AI as a tool.

And it must be acknowledged that the image produced here is not only beautiful, but inventive. Should this inventiveness be celebrated even though there is no soul or intention behind it? It seems likely that by 2050, some AI’s will be recognized as sentient. Will we then need to extend certain human rights to AI’s? If a sentient AI produces art, would it be fair to deny them a spot in a museum because they are not flesh and blood?

There are no clear answers. We must continue to explore the questions.