The rapid rise of AI-generated art and why creative professionals are divided over it

Day 610:42The rapid rise of AI-generated art, and why creative professionals are divided over it

In recent months, millions of people have started engaging in an unprecedented new creative practice that fuses visual art with artificial intelligence.

Research groups and companies like OpenAI and Midjourney are developing technologies that produce what they call "AI-generated images."

Now, just by typing a few words into a text box, people of any skill level can produce remarkably high-quality images.

AI-generated art is already being used to create entire graphic novels and award-winning digital art. But artists and everyday users are torn between the creative possibilities of AI art and the ethical and financial challenges it presents. 

Currently, there is no way to determine where the images originate. AI bots scrape the internet for images, some of which have been created by real, working artists. Those images are used as a basis for what the bot produces, which brings into question their authenticity and raises questions about copyright infringement and authorship. 

AI art is a hobby of Day 6 producer Annie Bender. She got into it during the pandemic while sick at home with COVID-19.

"There's something really freeing in it," Bender told CBC Radio Day 6 host Saroja Coelho. "It feeds a craving for absurdity and beauty."

The full interview can be heard here or above.

Here are some of Bender's creations, along with work from other artificial intelligence artists. 

Written by Bob Becken. Radio segment produced by Annie Bender.