AI has impacted the world of art and design at an astounding rate. With the revelation of image generators producing complex images in seconds has opened the floodgates for content. There has been a huge upset on the stability of the art and design industry, with many speculating if this is even a viable career any more. However, there is a quieter consequence to this shift that designers, artists and brand are noticing: a growing scepticism among audiences.
As AI generated visuals flood social media feeds, marketing, e-commerce shops, and entertainment, people are more frequently questioning what they are looking at. Increasingly the first reaction people are having is “is this real?”, and “is it genuine and trustworthy?”
The very existence of AI art has twisted audiences to develop a cynical eye towards all art. Before we can take a moment to appreciate anything, we first pause to analyse it for any tell-tale signs of fraud. It has eroded our trust in creators, products, and our community. There’s a good chance you have already asked yourself if this blog was AI generated! Full transparency; the thumbnail image is, but to make a point, and the article is entirely written by me!
The impact of AI art on audience trust is an important conversation. How do we tackle it?
The internet has always being a very noisy place! However, AI has dramatically increased the volume. When content is being generated at lightning speed, it’s never been easier to flood the market. The nature of the algorithm doesn’t help with this as well. Any social media marketer or SEO expert will tell you the importance of consistent posting. We are rewarded for producing excessive volumes of content, but the fatigue of that takes its toll! A tool that will make that content on our behalf feels like a God send.
But when there is a vast array of visual content to consume the importance of any individual item is less important. Imagine walking into an art gallery and seeing a three paintings in one space. You have time to absorb each of them, think on their meaning, and enjoy being in their presence. If you then walked into a room with 100 pictures on each wall, you’d have a very different experience!
Art takes time. Not only does it take time to make, but it takes time to learn. Every image represents years of practice, experience and dedication. But the algorithm doesn’t factor that in. It is just as disposable as the next bit of content. And when AI can generate thousands of images in the same space of time as an artist makes one, it feels impossible to compete.
Part of the power of art and design is the human effort behind it. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we the audience analyse the sense of purpose behind a piece of art and the decisions being made. AI generated images disrupt that perception. The lack of creative choices creates something that feels different. We can ask AI to create an image of anything and without considering practicality, complexity, or morality it will. We all have that power now.
Knowing that AI can make any visual content on our behalf has led to a wider distrust of content we see. We all know someone COULD have asked AI to make this image, so did they? It is a world of “guilty until proven innocent” when it comes to digital art.
AI generated content lacks value in our eyes as there has been no effort from the part of the creator to make it. There have been countless cases of artists being removed from artist markets for selling AI generated prints. Why should we pay money for a print you could have generated with the right prompt, after all?
Our attitude towards AI art is devaluing art in general as creating art images is now a few taps on a keyboard away, but we don’t respect that art, therefore we don’t respect any art. As our audiences become more and more cynical towards the images they see, we are putting a barrier between us. We are adding an additional decision making process, where they must analyse our work for a perceive deceit before taking any other action. Worse is that if they suspect AI tomfoolery, rightly or wrongly, we are now on the backfoot. When reading this article you might have had a similar thought after seeing the header image.
The wider impact is a general sense of distrust. As an artist or designer found using AI this can be devastating to your business. But if you’re using AI art to promote your business this still plants a seed. Many customers will ask “if they use AI for this, what else aren’t they doing themselves?”
There is a general fallacy that using AI is deceitful. However, I don’t necessarily agree. It is appropriate to use AI in business services. However, it is important to be transparent about the use of AI in your services. Hiding the use of AI is when it all feels like a con.
A portrait artist might charge several thousand pounds to make a picture for a customer. Someone comfortable using AI might consider using a tool to generate that portrait, say nothing to the customer, and still charge thousands for the service. If it sounds like a scam, and looks like a scam, it’s because it’s a scam.
It’s easy to simply say that Pandora’s Box is now open and there’s no closing it. To a certain extent this is true. The rise of AI imagery is unlikely to slow down, at least not any time soon. The prevalence of AI art oversaturates the market and makes audiences tired of it. Also as it improves in quality people are becoming more scrutinous and suspicious of everything they see. If you are a creative fighting the tide, or facing accusations of AI then its essential to verify your authenticity. Showing your artistic process will confirm to your audience that you are genuine. Not only that but recording the stages of your art will help create content for the dreaded algorithm. You can’t produce art at the same rate as AI but you can turn one piece of art into ten bits of content.
It’s also important to lean into the value that human made art has over AI. The intentionality behind your work is a value AI can’t offer. AI art content is largely throw-away; quickly created and equally quickly dismissed. It serves a purpose of filling a content gap, but your art can have staying power. This is a moment to remind audiences that good design is about meaning, emotion, and connection, not just making images.
Another way to rebuild trust is to build the trust of others. Support and share artists you know and who inspire you. Speak up for artists and designers, champion their work and build a community.
In my opinion the necessary future of AI art is transparency. The growing sense of distrust amongst audiences is the fear of being mislead or scammed. Many people engage in art to feel something from the material they’re absorbing. Much of that meaning coming from the intension of the artist. Viewing AI art can feel that it undermines that intension. However, AI art has a place if clearly and explicitly stated. There is no point in trying to pass something off as not AI as it will only ruin your reputation when found out. If we embrace the value of art and the value of AI media rather than trying to blur the lines between the two, audiences might become more easy with it.
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