Will AI Replace Artists? The Impact of GenAI on the Creative Industry
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in recent years, with the release of generative AI (GenAI) chatbot, ChatGPT, in 2022 propelling the technology into the mainstream. This has sparked both awe and concerns among workers worldwide, particularly in the creative industry. Jobs that were once considered safe from automation are now being questioned, raising debates about the role of humans in the creative process.
GenAI has the ability to create artificial content such as text, images, and even videos from a single prompt. As a result, businesses outside of the tech sector are exploring the potential opportunities of AI. To explore whether businesses will still need artists in the age of AI, Verdict interviewed Hannah Redler, the director and associate curator of the Open Data Institute (ODI), a non-profit organization striving to democratize data.
Redler commissioned artist Alan Warburton to create a video essay titled The Wizard of AI, which examines the impact of AI on the creative world. Warburton describes the mixed feelings of joy and fear that many artists, including himself, are experiencing with the rise of GenAI, using the term ‘wonderpanic’ to capture this sentiment.
While GenAI models can generate content based on the data they have been trained on, their output is limited in terms of originality. Redler emphasizes that the effectiveness of AI depends on the person using it. Just like painting or drawing, AI is a tool that artists need to refine and skillfully incorporate into their work.
According to Redler, businesses must invest not only in advanced AI technology but also in their workforce. Neglecting to promote and hire talented individuals with expertise in AI may hinder the innovation potential and longevity of businesses utilizing GenAI. Redler believes that innovation still relies on great ideas from people rather than machines.
One of the main attractions of GenAI is its ability to instantly create personalized content in response to prompts. This unprecedented scale and speed of content creation surpass what human artists can achieve. However, Redler acknowledges the importance of the artistic process and questions whether the rapid generation of content diminishes this crucial aspect.
Redler raises concerns about the impact on apprentices and less experienced creatives, as AI tools have the potential to replace certain tasks, such as illustration, and enable businesses to save money. But she emphasizes the necessity of investing in talent and raises the question of who will generate new thinking once the existing data used to train AI models is exhausted.
In conclusion, while AI has the potential to supplement and enhance the creative process, it is unlikely to fully replace artists. The future of artistic expression and innovation still relies on the labor and ingenuity of humans. The advent of AI has undoubtedly transformed how artists arrive at new ideas, but the collaboration between AI and human creativity remains pivotal for the continued evolution of the creative industry.
