The Use of AI in Creative Endeavors
An Opinion Piece
As an engineer I understand and appreciate AI and the possibilities it offers to the scientific community, and I am in favor of that. AI can be utilized for the betterment of humanity through a variety of scientific applications. I can also see its usefulness for mundane tasks.
But as a creative (an author) I have a much different perspective. I paid to have one of my fantasy book covers redone (and for me, it was a large personal expense) several months after publication, when I found out it was created using AI. I did it to maintain my creative integrity, just as I have also committed not to use Amazon’s (currently free) service to create an audio book using AI rather than human voice talent.
I am also committed not to utilize AI in my writing endeavors. I use my own words when I write, and I hire real editors for the final product. Yes, this all costs much more and I must admit I am nowhere near breaking even, but I have my artistic integrity intact. The books I put in the hands of my readers come from my heart and soul, and they are as good as I can possibly make them.
AI is notorious for getting its data from data sets that draw on other people’s work (art and text) without their permission and where they receive no compensation. In those cases, it is plagiarism. That is the usage that I am against. If a person needs inspiration, they can get it by reading and by viewing art. After all, there is nothing new under the sun. But I believe blatantly taking work created by others is wrong and also diminishes their work by doing so.
But I also struggle with using it in the arts at all, even with permission. I have been horrified at the deluge of stock photos that are now AI generated. The amount of garbage AI-generated books (filled with inaccuracies and subpar story development) being published on Amazon is clogging an already saturated market – making it almost impossible for a real author to rise above the noise.
For me, it’s not just a question of competition – it’s a question of integrity and humanity. But I think it is also a matter of individual choice and respecting those choices, when AI is used responsibly (with permission), and its use is disclosed. This is a very complex issue, and everyone is entitled to their opinion.
The picture on the left is the first cover for my fantasy novel, Sword of Fate. The picture on the right was created for my current cover by a very talented artist who is also committed to no AI in his work. The one on the left is vibrant and eye-catching, but the one on the right speaks to my soul.
Can you see the difference?
