Currently fixated on the idea that not only our dream careers, but our livelihood is, by the waking hour being trimmed to a distant mirage due to the advances of AI. It’s really hitting me on a random Thursday night, the difference between hand drawn art and computer generated is treading a fine line between being fake, and perceived as human crafted. As simple as finding a reference photo has become more difficult by the day, discerning whether or not I’ve discovered an incredible artist, or a mashup of stolen digital work.
We’re nearing the age where character designers, concept artists, writers, etc. may be less sought after. Enter Tumblr, where now you need to manually prohibit the use of your work for AI. It’s a very deep, guttural sadness that I can’t even seem to comprehend. As this new era kicks into certainty, I sort of reminisce on my childhood. Try explaining this to the little kid who came home after school to draw for hours on end. The kid who would talk amongst themselves with such a fiery passion that spoke through the characters on paper. The kid who was deeply inspired by classics from Eric Carle, Dr Seuss, and books like Stellaluna, and where the wild things are… and tell them that in the future, “art” won’t have the same meaning as it once did. Was it all even worth it?
I feel as though the era of digital artists will fade out due to the uncertainty, and the traditional age will prevail.
Best Actress in a Leading Role for "Poor Things" US actress Emma Stone, Best Actor in a Leading Role for "Oppenheimer" Irish actor Cillian Murphy, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for "The Holdovers" US actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for "Oppenheimer" US actor Robert Downey Jr. pose in the press room during the 96th Annual Academy Awards