A good majority of us at this point have all been exposed to AI art. Even if we do not possess the skills to recognize the AI art from the non-AI art, most people are aware of its existence. A common debate, however, is the role that it plays in our lives- sometimes regarding the classroom. Should AI ever be used in classes? Should it be used in art classes? Is it only passable for grammar checking and summarization? These questions and more are all ideas that have populated the minds of educators and students.
As common as it is, though, I can’t say that it didn’t feel surreal to see AI-generated art on the second floor of the art building here at Millersville as I was going about my day. Not just put up, but displayed, alongside a class name and student credits beside each piece. You could turn the corner and see the beauty of the handcrafted student metal works. A few steps later there was AI. I found it pretty unsettling.
Now, I don’t know the story behind this class, the students, the professor, the assignment, or any other details. I’m not aiming to make assumptions about anyone. However, it did lead me to think more deeply about whether or not AI should be used in art classes, now that it was right in front of my face. My opinion is that it shouldn’t.
Many arguments surrounding the use of AI in the classroom are targeted towards preparing the student for an AI-based future. In an art class, this is a bit different. Preparing an art student for the future of art by having them generate AI images (not even ones that were based off of their own art, as far as I’m aware) doesn’t seem to have any logical purpose. If we go off of the assumption that these images were completely AI generated and not an edit of the students’ work, then they are even going as far as to rip off other artists around the world. Most, if not all AI art is conglomerated into the familiar “AI style” you may know based on various artists’ work.
I’m slowly starting to see AI populate art markets, news articles, Instagram advertisements, and more. It all feels very scary to me, and I feel that we are losing touch with the process of creation. That is an important factor for an art student. Teaching anyone, regardless of major, that they can create “art” from the click of a button is contributing to a loss of originality and motivation.
I’ve seen some people argue that AI art is art because anything can be art, such as the famous Marcel Duchamp urinal exhibit, but I can’t help but disagree. Duchamp, in that case, was trying to subvert people’s expectations and have an effect on the audience. This was all intentional and something he came up with on his own. He may not have created the urinal himself, but he did have a specific goal and purpose for the exhibit in mind.
AI art is not made with these types of intentions. It is almost always a mindless pursuit. Most AI art is used for advertisements, posts, or just messing around. Even when used in an educational sphere, it lacks any form of real creation. I think that art should at the very least contain effort; and thinking, like Duchamp did, is effort as well.
While there may be ways to use AI in our classes on a beneficial level, this is not something I think we should do, at least not for a very long time. In regards to art classes, I don’t think it should ever be used. I feel that it is only contributing to the normalization of AI art creations. Original art at this time is so important, and remains one of the most impactful forms of self-expression for an individual, regardless of talent. Art classes should be centered around fostering growth for the students to improve their own unique styles. That is something AI will never be able to accomplish.
