Artificial Intelligence has become a constant presence in people’s lives, raising societal controversy. While some people distanced themselves away from AI, others embraced it. Many who embraced it started to lose track of their beliefs, becoming easily manipulated by this tool.
One field highly affected by AI is the artistic industry. Many artists are losing jobs and creative freedom to AI, as their projects are being replaced by digital drawings not made by human hands.
It is now a time for artists to learn how to use AI as a tool instead of perceiving it as the enemy. Lydia Jung, junior graphic design and Christian studies double major, explained how artists could engage with AI in ways that also preserved their originality and creativity.
“I believe that AI can benefit artists when visualizing concepts or perspectives. Creatives often seek reference photos to construct accurate illustrations and designs,” Jung said.
“Artists can also use artificial intelligence to generate ideas and titles. The tool can develop words related to a concept artists can view, process and research,” Jung said. “This allows the artists to explore more quickly and focus on refining the idea, instead of the technical difficulties.”
As technology becomes more prominent in society, artists also had to learn not to treat it as a threat but as a way to improve art and its process. Charlie Kelly, junior fine art major, is not a fan of AI, but recognized that it could be a supportive tool when necessary.
“I think if you use it for reference materials, preliminary research, it’s understandable,” Kelly said. “But I still think there are better ways to do it, like through books, museums, going outside and meeting people.”
As both students mentioned, AI could be helpful in getting references and ideas for new materials. However, it came down to artists to decide how they wanted to use it. Renso Gomez Jimenez, assistant professor and program coordinator of illustration and entertainment design, shared his opinions on whether AI helped artists boost creativity or not.
“AI has the ability to be both a boost for creativity and a motivation killer. Earlier, I stated that AI took a toll on my creativity. I allowed it to kill my creativity, and I allowed outside voices tell me that my career was over. I went months without creating because I believed what the world said instead of remembering why I create,” Jimenez said.
“When I decided to embrace AI as a tool, my love for creating and desire exploded. AI helped me come up with ideas and projects that I had always wanted to follow. It gave me a boost in my traditional practice and made me a better illustrator,” Jimenez said. “It gave me the excitement of painting back, and I created 12 oil paintings in 1 summer. AI can be a threat or a blessing, but it is up to us as creatives to decide how we use it and set a path for future generations on how this new tool should be used.”
In a world where humanity and technology constantly battled for balance, artists should use the tools available to enhance their skills. By applying these tools, they opened doors to blending technology and originality into a working partnership.
