For many, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) poses the pressing question, “Will robots replace humans?” In recent years, this overtaking seems more probable than ever as robots refine a rudimentary human trait: creativity and innovation.
AI can be described as “the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems” (Burns). Computer learning has been around for a long time, dating back to the first AI in 1951. But what sets the AI of this age apart from its early predecessors? Accessibility. The boom in AI today can be attributed to its everyday, widespread use. This increase in popularity led to developers producing simple programs for people with little understanding of AI to wield its potential.
One branch of AI that has sent groups raging is AI-generated artwork. AI-generated art is created by entering a prompt–a string of descriptive words and styles–to guide the AI in creating a piece through analyzing millions of already existing artworks. Only a couple of months ago, a state artwork competition raised controversy as the winning art piece was revealed to have been created through AI. This event raised concerns among artists around the globe, including myself. Would AI take over the art world, as it generated masterful compositions with only a few words? Additionally, is the database of already existing artwork AI uses to learn outright stealing?
As an artist, I admit that AI artwork has stirred deep worries in me. Frankly, these worries were amplified when I decided to experience this surrealism for myself. Popular AI programs include DALL-E, Midjourney, and Nightcafe; out of simplicity, I opted to work with Nightcafe. After a short learning curve, I was effortlessly creating seemingly professional artwork in less than a minute. In fact, I created this journal's image using AI, taking only 10 seconds to curate when traditionally it would have required hours.
This artificial overtaking of creativity is a common theme in the AI community. In recent years, AI has permeated the music industry, assuming occupations anywhere from mastering music to generating new songs. Facing the same concerns as artists, musicians are also feeling targeted. I have come across some positive implications of this newfound robotic influence, such as tools which allow you to separate parts of a song. However, as with all AI, there is also its incredible ability to mass-produce human-like work. This is the case for Dada Bot, a unique AI program that creates metal songs and streams them on YouTube. The catch is that this bot has been producing music 24/7 for months, a feat musicians like me can only dream of achieving.
AI is affecting a multitude of artistic fields, leaving a trail of concerned creators, myself included. As someone passionate about computer science as well as arts like music and fine art, AI induces mixed feelings. I look forward to future improvements in AI as the digital age progresses, but I am concerned with what these advancements will bring. AI has swarmed the world as a whole, finding jobs in not only blue-collar work but in the medical field and military (Turner). However, trailblazers in AI, such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, state that they are hopeful for the future of AI and how it will improve humanity's life (Stevenson & Morris). Anne Ploin, a researcher from the Oxford Internet Institute, argues that as AI becomes more and more mainstream, a balance will be found. Humans will adapt as they always do and learn to use this new tool for good.
As a youth, I am eager to grow up alongside these future innovations and aspire to share this passion with those around me. Amongst many others, I hope to see the conflict between artificial and biological intelligence subside and balance be achieved as AI improves the human experience.
Works Cited
Burns, Ed. “What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Definition, Benefits and Use Cases.” TechTarget, February 2022,
https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/AI-Artificial-Intelligence.
Clifford, Catherine. “Mark Zuckerberg: Elon Musk's doomsday AI predictions are irresponsible.” CNBC, 24 July 2017,
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/24/mark-zuckerberg-elon-musks-doomsday-ai-prediction s-are-irresponsible.html.
Dozier, Rob. “This YouTube Channel Streams AI-Generated Death Metal 24/7.” VICE, 19 April 2019,
https://www.vice.com/en/article/xwnzm7/this-youtube-channel-streams-ai-generated-blac k-metal-247.
Ploin, Anne. “AI and the Arts.” 2019,
https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/040222-AI-and-the-Arts_FINAL.p df.
Stevenson, Seth. “A Rare Joint Interview with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Bill Gates.” Wall Street Journal, 25 September 2017,
https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-rare-joint-interview-with-microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-and -bill-gates-1506358852.
Author: Malia Hendricks
Biography:
Malia Hendricks is a Grade 12 student at Dover Bay Secondary School in Nanaimo, BC. She enjoys math, programming, and robotics and takes part in Math Club and Robotics Club at school. Outside of school, she is an avid martial arts instructor, and has a love for Taekwondo and Kumdo. With a passion for STEM, she hopes to become a computer engineer to aid in advancing technology to create a positive impact.
Contact Info:
Email: mhendricks1185@gmail.com
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