As an artist, I understand the importance of discussing and considering various perspectives on this issue. While these thoughts are my own, I value and respect the opinions of others. I aim to have an open and helpful conversation on the topic.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

HI.COM

Web3 Neo-Banking

Activate your Virtual Debit Mastercard TODAY!

- Spend Crypto & Fiat at 90m+ merchants worldwide

- Up to 10% back in Spend Rewards on every purchase

- Up to 15 digital subscriptions

- Travel Benefits

What are you waiting for?

Download the App NOW!

AI has been a part of our daily lives longer than text-to-image generators or ChatGPT. In fact, if you own a smartphone and use it to take photos, you are already using AI in some capacity.

This technology is not only limited to iPhones, as all smartphones incorporate AI to varying degrees. So, chances are, you are already using AI on a regular basis without even realizing it.

AI plays a significant role in photography processing on smartphones. It analyzes & selects the best shot from hundreds of images that the camera captures when you press the shutter and helps with what to focus on when you direct the camera, such as people, flowers, or animals

But how does AI recognize and distinguish between these different subjects?

After all, to the camera, they are simply arrays of pixels.

The answer lies in the use of machine learning algorithms, which allow the AI to analyze and classify the pixels based on patterns

Through training on vast amounts of data, AI can accurately identify & label various objects/scenes. This is just one example of how AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives and changing how we interact with technology.

Machine Learning (ML) is what allows AI to recognize and classify objects in images. Through training on large datasets containing millions of images, the AI can learn what features define a cat, dog, or person, for example.

Guess where they find this data?

These datasets are often compiled by scraping images from the internet, including those shared by artists. In this way, text-to-image generators like Midjourney or DALL-E may also use the same images used to train AI to create new images based on text inputs.

While these advancements in AI have the potential to bring significant benefits, it is important to consider the ethical implications and ensure that proper credit and compensation are given to the creators of the images being used.

I have noticed that some artists have expressed frustration over the use of their images to train AI systems like MidJourney or DALL-E, and the subsequent use of those systems to generate art that is then monetized.

However, it is worth noting that tech giants like Apple and Google also generate significant profits by using AI and machine learning. Yet, these companies do not face the same level of criticism.

This raises the question: is the issue with using artists' images to train AI, or is it that smaller players are profiting from the resulting art? Regardless, it is important to address the concerns of artists and ensure that their work is fairly compensated and credited.

If your images are publicly available on the internet, it is highly likely that they are being used and utilized by AI systems in some way. It is also possible that someone is profiting from the use of your images, either through the sale of AI-generated art or through the use of your images to train the AI and improve its performance.

I can understand why some artists may feel upset if their work is used to train AI systems and the resulting art is very similar to theirs. However, if the images created by AI are significantly different from the original artwork, I do not see a reason to be unhappy about it.

In fact, the use of AI to generate new and unique art can be seen as an opportunity for artists to explore and experiment with new styles and techniques. It can also bring greater exposure and recognition to the artist's work.

It is clear that AI art is an emerging & growing field that is here to stay. While it is understandable to have concerns and express complaints about the use of AI in art, it would be more productive to embrace it and explore ways to work with it rather than resist it.

There are many exciting possibilities that AI art can offer, from opening up new creative possibilities for artists to allowing for the creation of art that would be otherwise impossible for humans to create.

By embracing AI as a tool and finding ways to integrate it into our artistic practices, we can continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the art world and create truly innovative and unique works.

credit: Mesut