Contemporarily, we are living in a period that experiences the infiltration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the creative landscape, marking a transformative juncture in human creativity. Without a doubt, AI can generate artwork that challenges traditional notions of authorship and creativity, however, is an aesthetically pleasing piece enough to spark emotional interest?
I spoke with Ellie Harrison-Read, Director at Lisson Gallery (https://www.lissongallery.com/), who posited that it would be “hard to imagine how artworks themselves could be reduced to formal data points. This is certainly possible in terms of assessing their ‘performance’ in the market and institutional arena (how well they sell, how often they are shown in museums) but it is not straightforward to imagine a form of AI that could crack the very human code that determines artistic greatness”. We also discussed the integral nature of not only the story behind respective pieces but even an artist’s personal story. Ellie expanded on this dominating factor stating that “even when artwork seeks to be completely detached from any given context, their age, milieu and many other factors play a part in how their work is assessed.” Thus, it would be virtually impossible (pun intended!) to assert that AI-generated artwork could speak with you on an emotional level, merely because Art itself is a form of human expression that conveys ideas, emotions, and experiences through various creative mediums like visual, auditory, or performative means - the key word here being human.
Nonetheless, AI is on the rise within the art world and the limitless possibilities are being explored more and more every day. I believe that this incursion combines human imagination and machine precision, giving rise to a new, unique and innovative genre of artistry. "Obvious" is an art collective company known for its pioneering work in creating and promoting art generated using AI and has notable success stories and evident influence on the art world. Therefore, with groups like this on the rise, the real ‘problem’ lies with the fact that, societally, we see AI-generated artwork as a threat to ‘real’ art rather than as a possibility for exploration and new ventures of creativity.
Fundamentally, there is no set ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to whether or not AI-generated art could emotionally move you because, albeit something that seems impossible, if this new genre of creativity is applied both correctly and exploratively, it should most definitely be something to be encouraged. Currently, there is friction between the two concepts of art and AI, the codified creativity of AI feels at odds with our expectations for the production of great art, which we understand to be informed by context and defined by nuance, even when it’s primary medium is rooted in technology. Yet, its influence on and within the creative framework is not only inevitable but going to shape the future of art as we know it.