Assessing the Real Artistic Value of AI

The core of this year in the entertainment industry, and its intertwined challenges with AI, isn't about the legality of scraping or other issues; those topics have been sufficiently explored. The real question now is not whether AI can be used, but its actual value in production.

I focus here on the artistic dimension, the heart of the website, services, and events I've been involved with for over ten years. After experimenting with various tools and solutions, I conclude that, for now, the benefits to artists do not justify the investment.

I've observed a surge in websites and social media groups filled with AI-generated images, which often feels like a dive into a nonsensical world from an artistic standpoint. The trend of generating numerous images quickly and trying to market them cheaply only reinforces my belief that this reliance on AI for image creation is a trap. It benefits mainly the SaaS companies offering these services to hobbyists.

A recent interview with the CEO of an AI video generation company, who prefers targeting the general public over professionals, illustrates this shift. People who couldn't create an image from scratch now feel empowered, yet gain little in return—no recognition, and if they attempt to sell their work, it's at rock-bottom prices, contributing to a market flooded with cheap AI images.

This isn't a new phenomenon. We see similar patterns in large malls where mass-produced, framed images from stock photo libraries are sold cheaply. It's the same with the deluge of photographs available for next to nothing, with few genuinely succeeding as artists or profiting from mass production.

The actual value of an image, illustration, or photograph lies in the idea, concept, composition, storytelling, and numerous other factors. Regardless of quality, an automated image or video cannot replicate the process involved in creation—the trials, errors, iterations, and decision-making that culminate in a finished artwork.

Those fixated on the result miss the essence of art, perceiving it merely as a consumable product. In contrast, carefully composed and conceived images reflect not only the creative process but also the creator's personal choices, emotions, and experiences.

Amidst a sea of mediocre or hastily generated images, the importance of genuine artistry—crafted with dedication and soul—becomes increasingly evident.