AI & Art: The Challenge for New Artists
it's not going anywhere.
As hard as it is to say, I believe artists should embrace Ai. And I say that as someone who has spent decades working on my craft and encouraging other artists to do the same. But I'm also looking at the world as it is: artificial intelligence isn't going anywhere, and it's going to disrupt how we create, including in the arts.
That's a tough pill to swallow. Part of what makes us human is the struggle, the imperfection. Watching an artist wrestle with a painting, or spending years learning to play an instrument beautifully-those imperfections, the effort, the time, they all matter. Humans are imperfect.
So why embrace AI? Because reality is reality. Used well, AI can amplify our work in ways we never imagined. It's already replacing repetitive, tedious tasks, opening the door for artists to focus on the creative, expressive parts of our work…and that’s a good thing, right? For those of us who came up before AI, we're in a strong position. We understand composition, storytelling, rhythm..we have trained ears, trained eyes, and a sense for the craft that comes from years of practice.
But for new artists who haven't gone through that rigorous process, it's a different story. I don't have all(or any lol) the answers here. I still believe that learning a craft like painting, playing an instrument, writing etc is an important part of development for an artist. But reality doesnt care about my opinions. Many new artists will prefer AI tools over years of study and rigor, and the barrier to entry into the arts is lower than ever.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. Lower barriers mean more people can explore, experiment, and create without huge investments of time or money. AI tools make incredible things possible. But it also means that artists now face a unique challenge: being intentional and honest about their art, examining their purpose more closely. It's easy to produce something beautiful with AI-but harder to know why you made it, or what it truly says about you.
Pre-Ai, we(artists) found our voice through struggle. Learning to paint, write, produce music, or tell stories wasn't easy. That struggle shaped our artistry and defined us. Up-and-coming artists today face the question: how do you find your genuine voice when so much of the rigor and struggle has been removed? I honestly don't know.
AI is here to stay. My hope is that artists who came before it find ways to use it to amplify our genuine selves, and that the next generation somehow discovers their voice in this new landscape.
what do you think? Should artists embrace Ai, or resist it? I'd love to hear your thoughts
[In my personal opinion], I don't think artists should embrace AI, but not resist it.
In the production process, I think it's okay to use AI, but not depend on it.
The artist should control how AI does what it's supposed to do.
But in the creative process, I'm against it.
To me personally, I look at the creative process as something sacred, cause it's the most intimate and unique process an artist can experience.
The moment of inspiration, the moment of translating that inspiration into art, seen, heard, felt.
It's what makes every true artist stand out in their own way.
And so, I -with every fiber of my being- am against using AI in the creative process.
We're seeing how AI can create -for example- a full song, lyrics, melody, music , even voice.
and it's scary.
I've seen people who call themselves "artists" use it, all they have to do is sing the already created song, and they wouldn't even have any talent at singing, just use an awful lot of auto tune and effects, and there you have it, an entire song, made with zero creativity, zero effort.
An artist should use AI to enhance their art, not to create it.