AI art' is boring, soulless theft and when I see it as an artist I see red | Jess Harwood

A solo concert experience creates joy and heartache through lyrics that reflect lived human experiences. The work is appreciated because it predates AI, removing doubts about AI involvement. AI-generated images, music, and words are criticized as boring, theft, soulless, sterile, and harmful due to energy use and water-intensive data centers. A proposed name for AI visual art is “Computer Rendered Artificial Pictures (CRAP).” Australian comic art festivals denounce AI and refuse to knowingly promote AI-generated materials. The creator chooses traditional drawing and idea-making, arguing that faster AI production would not increase creativity or fulfillment. An offer to train an AI on an artistic style is declined, raising questions about the purpose of being an artist if prompts can generate finished work. Creating art is compared to staying afloat in a leaky boat while enduring ongoing struggle and doubt.

"I loved it I felt joy and heartache as the lyrics spoke of human experiences, really lived. I happily realised that I did not have to wonder whether Split Enz had used AI in their work (as I so often do nowadays) as these bangers were created long before it was even dreamed of."

"As a visual artist and writer myself, when I see AI generated images, music or words presented as art, I see red. It's boring, it's theft, it's soulless, sterile and it's killing the planet through energy and water-guzzling datacentres. Someone suggested AI visual art should be called Computer Rendered Artificial Pictures (CRAP)."

"In the Australian comic art community, festivals like the Perth Comics Arts festival have denounced AI, saying they will not knowingly promote AI-generated materials, nor will we allow any such work to be a part of our festival. I pumped my fist in the air when I heard this. In my life, I am only interested in what a human can do so I am happily letting AI pass me by."

"I was once contacted by a researcher who was making AI specifically for artists. I could apparently train his AI technology in my artistic style so I could eventually simply enter a verbal prompt and voila! An artwork would appear, as if I had drawn it. I wouldn't even have to pick up a pen. If I was able to generate an artwork in seconds, then what is the purpose of me, as an artist?"

Read at www.theguardian.com