The rapid development of AI technology has brought about remarkable advancements in various industries, including the art world. With AI, it is now possible to generate aesthetically pleasing and coherent works, replicating the art styles of famous artists with ease.
This rise in AI-generated art presents a significant threat to artists’ livelihoods, whose art is no longer exclusive. Instead, they face unprecedented competition from machines.
In response to these challenges, artists are fighting back through various means. This guide highlights some of these ways and may be an excellent read if you are an artist hoping to protect your creative work from AI.
What is Generative AI and How it Affects the Art Industry
Generative AI, like the renowned ChatGpt from OpenAI, is a branch of artificial intelligence that employs algorithms in creating content. These algorithms, often based on machine learning, utilize immense datasets to generate output. For instance, they might use numerous art pieces to inform their creation of new artwork.
When comparing AI-generated art to human-made art, subtle differences emerge. However, as AI continues to advance, it could pose a threat to their creative uniqueness. However, it’s essential to remember that this technology also presents opportunities, like new mediums and collaborations, turning AI from foe to ally in the art world.
Strategies Employed By Artists to Fight Back
Promoting Human Creativity
What sets human art apart is its authenticity. This authenticity is what art lovers deeply appreciate, knowing that each brushstroke or chisel mark was made with intention by a human hand. It adds depth, meaning, and value to the art piece that a machine cannot replicate.
By promoting human creativity, artists highlight the uniqueness of human-made art, thereby shaping consumer behavior and leading them to appreciate and seek authentic pieces. This way, artists can command higher prices for their genuinely creative output.
It also empowers consumers to make more informed choices, knowing the true value of the art they acquire.
Re-evaluating IP Laws
Intellectual Property (IP) laws play a critical role in safeguarding the arts – however, the rise of AI in art has put these laws to the test. These generators often use datasets composed of copyrighted artworks. They modify these works to create visually striking, new art, bringing to question the legality of it.
Currently, laws tend to lag behind technology’s rapid advancement, and the legality of AI’s approach to art creation remains a contentious issue. Therefore, artists understand the implications of AI in their industry better than most and are pushing for a revision of these IP laws.
They advocate for regulations that can adapt to the evolving landscape influenced by AI. As the art world looks to the future, the evolution of IP laws will undoubtedly take shape around the continuing dialogues around AI’s place in the art world.
Using Technology to Enhance, Not Replace, Creation
While technology is often viewed as a threat, it can also serve as an ally for artists, providing tools to help preserve the uniqueness of their original creations. Glaze, developed by the University of Chicago, is among the tools that make a huge difference in safeguarding artistic works. Glaze adds subtle changes to an artwork that may not be visible to the human eye but effectively confounds AI models, preventing them from repurposing the artwork.
Moreover, artists can employ Digital Rights Management (DRM), a technology that restricts unauthorized access, downloading, and copying of copyrighted material. DRM effectively protects artists’ works from the unauthorized applications of AI, preserving their originality and value.
Furthermore, artists are taking the initiative to create bespoke software suited to their particular needs for protection. By following the necessary steps to get a patent, they can secure exclusive rights to their innovative technologies to fortify their defenses, ensuring their creative output remains secure and uniquely their own.
Exploring New Revenue Models
As AI continues to disrupt the art scene, artists are exploring new revenue models to sustain their creativity and ensure their work retains its value. One promising model involves the use of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).
These unique digital tokens represent ownership of a specific item or piece of content, making it possible to sell digital art in a way that wasn’t possible before. By tokenizing their art, artists can sell their work directly to consumers, bypassing traditional art dealers and galleries and securing their rightful share of the profits.
Moreover, NFTs also provide a way to authenticate digital art, ensuring that the purchaser is acquiring an original work. This authentication represents a critical buffer against the encroachment of AI-generated art.
In addition to NFTs, artists can also explore revenue models like crowdfunding or subscription-based platforms, where art enthusiasts pay a regular fee to access new works, behind-the-scenes content, or even online tutorials. These models provide artists with a steady stream of income while deepening their engagement with their audience.
Using Legal Action
Up until recently, artists didn’t perceive AI as a grave menace. However, AI’s rapid rise and operational mechanics have raised eyebrows in recent years. This year alone has seen a significant surge in the number of artists initiating legal action against AI firms for alleged rights infringements.
Notably, three illustrators, Sarah Andersen, Kelly McKernan, and Karla Ortiz, spearheaded a class action lawsuit against Midjourney Inc., DeviantArt Inc. (behind DreamUp), and Stability AI Ltd, the creators of Stable Diffusion. These artists label the text-to-image platforms as “21st-century collage tools”, infringing on the rights of millions of artists.
In essence, the artists assert that AI generators have utilized their works in the development of the algorithms that drive these platforms without consent or compensation. Insights from a study quoted in the lawsuit reveal that 47 percent of the LAION-Aesthetics dataset employed by these services comprises images sourced from stock photo sites, shopping sites, and user-generated content websites.
While the art world awaits the court’s rulings on these matters, their potential impact cannot be underestimated, and the decisions may set precedence and drive policy creation, further shaping the intricate relationship between art and AI.
Conclusion
The shifting dynamics between artistry and AI present a unique intersection of creativity and technology. Artists are harnessing new tools and models, like NFTs and DRM, to protect their work and generate income despite AI’s disruptive influence.
The push for a revision of IP laws is another font artists are looking at to ensure their works are protected now and in the future. Also, artists are taking legal action to guard against rights infringements. The evolution of this relationship is still unfolding, and its future trajectory hinges on factors like legislation, technology, and artists’ adaptability.
