I found myself at a Christmas craft market recently, and at one stall I stopped to admire some artwork. The stallholder was selling coasters, mugs, canvas bags, and tea towels covered in her art. The colours were vibrant and the art was detailed, almost 3D.
I complimented her on her work. She said thank you then proceeded to tell me how her and her husband enjoy creating these products. Then she said “although he uses a different AI program to me”.
It turns out that she is not an artist but a Midjourney user. This got me thinking: is this therefore her art or someone else’s? Her skills lie not in creating the art itself, but in prompting the AI to create it, refining what it creates, and weeding out any errors such as 6-fingers or too many appendages.
The art was good, very good, and the prices were high, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy anything. Why? I wasn’t quite sure. Whom am I rewarding for the work? Are real artists losing out?
What are your thoughts on works created by AI?