Artists and AI

A couple of decades ago, tabloid newspapers were scoffing at the idea of chimpanzees painting pictures which were “good enough” to be sold. The reality, of course, is that a man or woman decided when they thought the image was interesting enough or good enough and stopped the animal going any further.

Since then, animal-made works of art have been created by other apes, elephants, dolphins, and a variety of reptiles among other species. The common element is human involvement in providing the materials and setting up the opportunity.

For every artist, knowing when to stop and deciding when to select to go further has always been the difference between the humdrum and the extraordinary. Many artists choose to express themselves with acrylic pouring paints. The results are always partly accidental. Knowing when to stop is the key.

Sliding down, Anna Conversano

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Artists have always embraced the interplay between the accidental and control.

Much of the above is true with artists use of AI (Artificial Intelligence). Computer programs can produce random images or imitate an artist’s style. They can also produce unexpected images, never seen before, but all of the input into the program will have been human. Machines cannot switch themselves on or switch themselves off.

Either way, it’s the creative judgment of the artist who decides what to accept, what to reject - when to stop. Signing an artwork has always been the way to say, “I am satisfied, this is finished”

By its very nature art made with AI does not have a physical presence until printed. Sometimes these form part of a series of prints sold in editions. Sometimes only one will ever be produced.

Bizarrely one digital artwork, by the artist known as Beeple, has recently been sold for $69 million. The buyer will never see the work but they own the file. “More money than sense” comes to mind. As ever, artists will continue to push the boundaries. It’s what we love about them.