AI art has become all the rage on social media platforms such as TikTok. People have been using the new AI anime filter that converts their faces into a more cartoony or stylized image. Most people are impressed by how quickly AI can do this, but on the other hand, some artists are furious about this. So, what is it about AI that people are so angry about?

Besides the anime filter, there are AI image generators where you put in specific prompts, and images will be generated from those prompts. This became a problem because people can use the name of a well-known artist on social media, and tell the AI to make an image in that style. Then, they take credit for creating it, when the only effort put in was typing in a prompt. Senior Emily Duong stated, “AI Art just takes already-existing art and makes it into some sort of new composite. There is no credit to the original artists, which is what rubs me the wrong way.” I agree with this. Artists put a lot of time and effort into their drawings. They have gone through years of practicing to come up with a style they like, and now they are basically being robbed.

However, there are some sides to AI that I can personally see as helpful. Not only are there AI image generators, but there is also an AI image upscaler feature. With this, you can take a blurry image and have more detail added to it, making the image clearer. Senior Grace Sanders also stated, “I love it; I think it’s a great source for inspiration and ideas. I have played with the AIs, and I love the composition color and style.” I believe that in the future, we can find a way to put this AI feature to good use, but this still doesn’t change the minds of the artists who try to make a career out of what they love.

As an artist myself, I understand the frustration other artists are experiencing. I have been drawing for as long as I can remember, and I have always enjoyed doing it. It took a lot of practicing, learning, and patience to get where I am now; even now, I still need to improve. I wanted to go into a career where I could put my skills to use, but with AI growing in popularity, there is a chance there won’t be a need for artists anymore. At least, that is the biggest concern for them at the moment.

It is important to be careful with how we use these new technologies and to give credit where it’s at. Hopefully, in the future, we can find a way to balance the use of AI and still have jobs for the people who love sharing their art with others.