As AI transforms the creative landscape, artists face a choice: withdraw in fear, or lean into curiosity.
The Pace of Change Can Leave Us Feeling Nauseous
I recently had coffee with Sarah, an art student nearing graduation. She confided her anxiety about entering a world where AI creates art. “Will there be a place for me?” she asked.
I felt Sarah’s angst in my core. The best art inspires our shared humanity. If machines commoditize meaning, what’s left?
Yet seeing Sarah’s potential stifled by uncertainty broke my heart. I wanted to shake her awake, to say: fear solves nothing! Meet the future with probing interest, not existential dread.
Future Shock - When Change Overwhelms Us
Human creativity always finds a way. But we must understand how it’s changing. Only then can we direct technology’s immense power. AI is a tool like any other, taking the shape we give it.
Some argue AI models unfairly mimic artistic styles without consent. Studies confirm AI sometimes directly copies parts of training images. These are real concerns worth thoughtful action.
“Knowledge is the most democratic source of power.”
But as pioneer Alvin Toffler noted, all creativity builds on what came before. Human artists also stand on the shoulders of giants, unconsciously integrating styles and techniques from creative forebears. Should we sue them too?
More productive than lawsuits is engaging with technology's promise. With openness, not resentment, we can direct AI to expand creative possibilities for all.
Matching the Speed of AI with New Forms of Intelligence
Rapid change has always rattled societies. In his 1970 book Future Shock, Toffler warned that unless we develop resilience, technological upheaval can overwhelm us psychologically. Just coping with daily life becomes challenging.
Toffler prescribed “change-proofing” our systems and practices. He envisioned new democratic institutions to give ordinary citizens voice in guiding change. With climate emergencies and AI disrupting so much so fast, his message resonates.
Photography Did Not Destroy Painting, Nor AI Creativity
Yet take heart that human ingenuity persists through upheaval. Photography did not destroy painting, nor film snuff theater. The constraint of limits primes creativity.
So I urged Sarah: Don't withdraw in anxiety or lash out in anger. Bring an explorer's heart to this new landscape. AI may seem to threaten your livelihood, but it amplifies imagination if you let it.
Of course, realizing technology’s promise takes work. Learn how AI tools function. Start small, finish projects. Share insights with peers. Connect with developer communities. Promote art that responsibly integrates AI.
"If you don't have a strategy, you're part of someone else's strategy."
Guide AI to ends nourishing our humanity. You possess the supreme creative power: imagination. Dream the world you wish for. Envision how to get there. Create from love, not fear.
Sarah, the future belongs to the learners. And it belongs to the bold, who create from love, not fear. Sarah, the future belongs to you.
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Embrace the future – the future belongs to the curious.
The comparison of AI's effect on art to the impact of photography on painting is very poignant. Both can coexist and bring value to the artistic landscape.
As a poet, I appreciate your balanced approach to the topic. AI can be both a challenge and an opportunity. It's all about how we choose to engage with it.