AI Art Generation Can Be Handy - But at What Price?

 

 Created using the WOMBO dream A.I. Art Generator.

NOTE: This post reflects the state of AI generated art nearly two years ago. It has become more advanced since then. And also more controversial. 

The above image is one of the results I got when I prompted the artificial intelligence art generator (WOMBO Dream) with the words “DC comics Teen Titans Tower”.  With this particular image, I had used the prompt combined with the "Synthwave" style/filter. See more versions on my Tumblr site.

There were other styles I used that resulted in interesting and compelling images. All that to say, as an artist, I find such A.I. apps useful and inspirational. 

It's funny that I've often felt some people seem to imagine that artists create images "magically" or perhaps with some arcane tools that produces finished imagery "at the press of a button".  A.I. generated art brings that scenario a bit closer. But even with its power (utilizing super-human processing speeds, vast color and resource imagery banks, etc) there are yet limitations and might always be certain gaps.

Case Study

To accompany this post, I tried to generate an editorial illustration using the WOMBO dream A.I. app. Specifically, I wanted a close-up image of a finger pushing a button. Simple enough, right? With my experience of using the WOMBO dream app, I knew I had to be specific in my prompts. I settled on typing the words "push the button with your index finger" and I chose no style, Fantasy and Synthwave styles for three attempts. These are the images that came up:

A.I. Generated Art using the prompt "push the button with your index finger".
Clockwise from upper left: No style, Sythwave and Fantasy styles.

 It's interesting that the "no style" version seems like it includes the word "PUSH". The Synthwave style art gives me the impression that the A.I. is making a rude gesture! And the Fantasy style seems to borrow from video camera control imagery.

So you see my success was limited but not without merit.

I imagine, the artist of the future might use A.I. image generators by employing other talents besides hand/eye coordination or draftsmanship. The A.I.-assisted Artist could become like a musician playing an instrument that utilizes more intuitive "tonal" skills of a hybrid visual/verbal nature to produce masterpieces based on how well the A.I. can be coaxed with the perfect prompts.

I wouldn't mind that.

Related: See A.I. generated Art using the prompt “Picture of Dorian Gray”.

UPDATE: AI Generated Art Problematic -- 

 

A statement from the Society of Illustrators- pic.twitter.com/l82uZWl6n1

— Society Illustrators (@SOI128) December 21, 2022

The arrival of AI Art Generators on the scene as an ominous game-changer for artists is trending a lot lately. If you're an artist whose work has been "pirated" by an AI Generator, chime in! https://t.co/U1r3dqeCk2

— 𝐎. 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 (@odouglasj) December 31, 2022

Embeded AI Update Report from PBS:

Important UPDATE:

Last week, the U.S. Copyright Office said content mainly generated by AI cannot be protected by copyright.

This means marketers using generative AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E to carry out creative work do not necessarily own that work. https://t.co/mXCh6sdIId pic.twitter.com/rndNKGKT5w

— Ad Age (@adage) March 24, 2023

AI not the magic money machine it's touted to be: