Why artists are worried about generative AI
“They didn't burn the libraries — they trained them with AI” Craft and Authorship Devalued Adobe was built for productivity, it's not doing the work for you like an OpenAI subscription generating both text and imagery through prompts. Commercial AI services are now devaluing craft, labor, skill, and almost anything made or written by hand. Authorship is sinking. People now find it acceptable to…
Artists are expressing deep concern over the rise of generative AI technology. They argue that AI is devaluing the craft, labor, and skill associated with creating art, which is now accessible through simple prompts and generated by AI. This shift is causing confusion about authorship and the true meaning of making art.
Some notable figures, like David Lynch and Hayao Miyazaki, have denounced AI-generated art, viewing it as an insult to life itself and an injustice to their respective legacies. The commercialization of AI services is stripping away the unique human touch from digital art, turning it into a mass-produced Dadaist style.
Artists fear that their work is becoming accessible to anyone, potentially leading to a loss of creativity and originality. The business model of AI services revolves around training models on everyone's work for free, then selling it back as a means of production, essentially replacing the skills and jobs of those in creative industries.
The impact on labor and the creative industries is significant, with writers, artists, designers, engineers, and programmers all at risk of being displaced. This displacement is compounded by the lack of clear attribution and permission needed when using AI-generated art, creating a "provenance, attribution, and appropriation nightmare."
The music industry is also feeling the strain, with artists struggling to sell their work due to the dominance of a few streaming platforms. Companies like Spotify have launched AI defense initiatives, but the overall effect is a digital-only transition in the entertainment industry, leaving many artists outpaced and struggling.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
