My Thoughts on AI

I've been noticing different conversations in some of the groups I'm in surrounding AI and art. Some people have been using AI art for their work because they don't have to pay for it and they get colorful, generated images easily. It is a cheap way to produce connect - and while the quality may not be there, some people don't care about that. It isn't just the lack of human emotion and creativity that I have a problem with.  I, and many other artists, aren't fans of AI art. AI art is theft. 

The way that an AI generates the art images tha you see is by pulling art from databases of existing art that has been found on the internet. Many of the images have been taken without the consent of the artist. Many of the images used in AI art are actually protected images (they have copyright). AI art is piracy - and while that may sound acceptable, it leaves out the people it stole the images from: the illustrators, photographers, the artists, and the people who filed copyright. Their hard work is not acknowledged in creating this new, stolen, generated image. 

So, I'm against AI art. I feel that there needs to be significant regulation to prevent the illegal harvesting of many of these images. And I believe action should be taken sooner, rather than later.