Artificial intelligence, AI, and its uses have certainly become the focus in today’s world. The various applications for AI and its technology are seemingly endless, and AI has found itself at the forefront of both personal and business projects. As a means of seeking answers to questions and providing information, most of the time, it is most efficient, but is it really a replacement for the human brain, critical thinking and problem solving? In this blog, we will explore just how effective it is when used with photography, graphic design and digital art.
Perhaps the easiest way to begin this discussion is to look at the how, when/where and why AI could be applied in photography, graphic design and digital art. Starting with the why, is a simple answer because the short answer is that it becomes an effective tool to provide images, backgrounds, clipart, etc. that would be difficult, expensive, impossible, or otherwise, to create. It is a tool, but it still needs the human brain, critical thinking and problem solving to direct AI in its creation, and the graphic can be pretty incredible at completion.
The when/where answer is also fairly straight forward because when the level of difficulty is too high, the cost is too much, and/or the means just don’t exist, AI quickly becomes a viable solution to producing the necessary images, backgrounds, clipart, etc. to finalize a given composition. AI has become a staple in allowing photographers, graphic designers and digital artists to do what they do, but it still doesn’t stop there.
The how, lastly, is what ultimately decides whether or not, AI can take over for the human brain, critical thinking and problem solving. The how behind the AI to yield a functional result is more complicated than the why or when/where it is utilized. For anyone that has worked with AI, they most likely know that prompts are required and thus, it’s never quite that easy. In my experience, and also with others that have shared in the discussion, the process of AI that is required can be very time consuming. Prompts, many times, have to be redirected and refined to obtain the proper result; AI rarely is spot on with its first attempt. Thus, I would argue that AI is merely a tool because, as of yet, the human brain, critical thinking and problem solving are still necessary components to AI’s success.
Moreover, putting aside creating pieces via AI for photography, graphic design and digital art, tools like content aware fill or the remove tool have become a heck of a long way for retouching images or removing unwanted objects. Thinking about how long it used to take to do certain tasks before these tools had the ability that they do, is unthinkable for me at this point. I personally haven’t used AI much to create pieces for my work, but I do support other local artists that have created artwork utilizing AI. But at the end of the day, it’s my brain and inspiration that makes the photography, graphic design and digital art that I compose. I use various tools, various puzzle pieces, to put together the puzzle that becomes my compositions and my style, and I think this point could be more than proven by giving each artist or creator the same 20 pieces to start with, and I doubt seriously that any 2 would be the same even with AI. At least that’s my opinion.
Ultimately, it’s the individual’s vision that creates photography, graphic design or digital artistry. It’s the individual’s brain, critical thinking and problem solving. Not AI. I also believe the same can be said when shooting photography. It’s not AI in its inception, but yet, every photograph has been captured. It’s up to us as photographers, graphic designers and digital artists to try to capture or convey things in a unique way. It ultimately comes down to vision and as artists or photographers, our visions have been shaped differently. We all see the world different with or without AI. AI just becomes a tool like using cameras to create our images. AI can expand that world and create an opportunity that might not otherwise be available. Your mind and your vision still create it regardless of if you’re using a camera or AI to do it. Therefore, it still requires the use of the human brain, critical thinking and problem solving, and it just really boils down to the tools that you want to use to create your work, and again, I think those answers can all be different and that’s ok. It’s ultimately what makes us artists and defines our individual uniqueness and style. So to AI or not AI, it’s an individual decision. You decide.