The Value of Human Artistry in the Age of Visual A.I.
An environmental scan of emerging shifts for visual creatives.
In the age of A.I., the concept of artistic ideation, craft discipline, and output value is undergoing a seismic shift. As generative visual A.I. tools become more sophisticated, they are increasingly capable of creating original, fully composed works of art to match any visual genre or referenced artistic style. This has sparked a lively debate in the creative world about the value of human artistry and craftwork. Can a machine-generated piece of art carry the same emotional weight and cultural significance as a work created by a human hand? Of course, there are degrees of interpretation as to the weight of the human hand as these emerging tools at the moment require human interaction by way of prompt engineering and nuanced moderation. However, even considering that clarifying nuance—How do we ensure the value of human artistry in an era where A.I. can mimic and even surpass human creativity?
As a seasoned creative professional, I've been grappling with these questions for some time now. I've attended Adobe live sessions where tools like MidJourney, Adobe Firefly, Adcreative.io, and Soundful were discussed. These tools, powered by A.I., can create original (with human prompting), fully composed art and music in seconds. It's a fascinating and somewhat disconcerting development with implications that include potential loss of a professional industry for, well, humans. I am a technophile with a long history of early adoption of emerging technology. And while I do have a MidJourney and Grammarly Professional account, I can't help but marvel at the platform capabilities, and the science behind it. But at the same time, I find myself asking: What does this mean for the future value of creativity?
A little about me.
I am Creative Director on the design side of the house, and I've spent the better part of my life immersed in the world of art and design. My journey began at the tender age of 14, when I first laid my hands on Photoshop version 2. It was a revelation, a tool that allowed me to translate the images in my mind into tangible, visual forms—I was hooked. My passion for visual art led me to the prestigious LaGuardia High School, where I majored in art. Those years were a whirlwind of exploration and growth. I spent countless hours refining my craft, learning the nuances of color, form, composition, typography, and film photography. I learned to see the world through an artist's lens (no pun intended), to find beauty and meaning in the nuanced and mundane without avaristic drivers. Other artistic expressions of vocalists, dance, instrumentalists, and theater also surrounded me. It was a complete engagement of budding experimental creatives learning and defining their world through their talents (gifts).
I continued my development through college, where I studied Advertising Design, but my education surpassed the classroom. I was coming of age during a pivotal moment in the history of art and design — the transition from manual to digital. I witnessed the evolution of rapidographs on vellum to Photoshop, film to digital cameras, paper and ink to Wacom tablets, and of course, the biggest game changer, the Wallstreet Macintosh PowerBook G3, and portable zip drive. It was a time of rapid change and innovation, and I was in the thick of it.
This unique vantage point has shaped my perspective on the current debate surrounding the value of human artistry in the age of A.I. I've seen firsthand how technology can augment human creativity, opening up new avenues for expression, innovation, and professional opportunity for industries at the cusp of significant change. But I've also seen how it can threaten to overshadow the human element, reducing art to a series of algorithms, data points, and a commoditized assembly-line production process where speed and the push for hyper-innovation result in emotional shorthand communication between human creators and the human audiences.
As a professional in the creative industry, I've had the privilege of working with some of the most talented artists and designers—I wholeheartedly believe this. I've witnessed first-hand the magic when creative minds come together to solve a problem or tell a story. It's a profoundly human process involving empathy, intuition, and a shared understanding of the human experience. One of my most recent creative executives, Bruce Henderson, whom I greatly respect, introduced me to the H.O.U.S.E. framework, which I now leverage to evaluate corporate creative output.
The framework is initiated by a simple series of questions when evaluating the work.
How does the work ladder up? Is it...?
Human: Makes you feel alive.
Original: Feels fresh, new, surprising, and delightful.
Useful: Helps people get needed information, products, or services.
Simple: Easy to grasp and understand.
Effective: Produces positive results for the business.
In my view, this is where the actual value of human artistry lies. It's about more than just the ability to create beautiful images, catchy tunes, or dynamic abstracted animations. It's the ability to connect with others on a deep, emotional level. It's about the ability to convey complex ideas and emotions in a way that vibrates with other people. It's ultimately creating something that is not just aesthetically pleasing but also meaningful and impactful. We use words like resonate and vibe for these moments of connection where the intent and interpretation synergize. We mustn't lose sight of this as we navigate the brave new world (a slight nod to Aldous Huxley) of AI-generated art. Art is more than just a product—it's a process and a journey riddle with an opportunity for something genuinely novel and unique.
It's about the human experience in all its complexity, messiness, ugliness, and beauty.
History of Generative Visual A.I. — in brief.
The advent of Generative Visual A.I. has been nothing short of a revolution in the creative world. It has emerged as a powerful tool, capable of creating stunning visuals that were once the exclusive domain of human artists. But this revolution didn't happen overnight. It results from years of technological advancements and a growing understanding of how A.I. can first learn and then replicate human creativity.
In the early days, A.I. was primarily used for tasks that required logical reasoning and computing power. It was seen as a tool for crunching numbers rather than creating art. But as the technology evolved, so did the understanding of its potential. Researchers began to explore the idea of using A.I. to generate visual content, and the field of Generative Visual A.I. was born.
The first breakthrough came in the form of neural networks, a type of A.I. that mimics the structure of the human brain4. These networks were trained to recognize patterns in visual data, allowing them to generate new images based on what they had learned. This was a significant step forward, but the results still needed improvement. While stylized, the images generated by these early networks were often blurry and required more detail and complexity of human-created art.
The next significant advancement came with the introduction of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). GANs consist of two neural networks: a generator that creates new outputs, and a discriminator that evaluates these images. The two networks work together, with the generator striving to create images that the discriminator can't distinguish from real ones.3 This adversarial process leads to the creation of increasingly realistic images. One of my first exposures to this technology was the addition of generative fill features in Photoshop wherein a user can extend a scene of a background in an image where nothing exists. But as A.I. advances, it raises crucial questions about the value of human artistry. Can an A.I., no matter how sophisticated, truly replicate a human artist's creativity and emotional depth? And if it can, what does that mean for the future of art and artists? As we move forward, we must find a way to balance this tension to leverage the power of generative A.I. without losing sight of the human soul-to-heart-to-hand that makes art meaningful.
Current visual A.I. landscape.
The landscape of Visual A.I. is rapidly evolving, with new applications emerging at a dizzying pace. As a professional visual communicator, I've witnessed and participated in this evolution, and it's been a fascinating journey. MidJourney, for example, has provided a way to rapidly ideate and generate images to help bring a concept to life. I treat my interactions with MidJourney as mini briefs with a precise execution or visual territory to explore. I then go through rounds of refinement but still, feel the need to pull the image into Photoshop for additional composition and retooling. The extra step satisfies my personal desire to manipulate or pixel-push as a designer.
One of the most significant trends in the current landscape is the increasing use of Generative Visual A.I. by major corporations and advertising agencies. W.P.P. and NVIDIA, for instance, have announced a partnership to use generative A.I. to create personalized content for advertising. This partnership will enable the agency's artists and designers to create more personalized and engaging ad experiences.5
Similarly, Omnicom and Microsoft have partnered to develop a virtual assistant that aids ad agency employees across the advertising process. This virtual assistant utilizes Microsoft's generative A.I. capabilities to assist with tasks such as compiling audience insights, building media plans, and creating sophisticated creative briefs.1 Publicis Sapient has also made significant strides in this space, acquiring a full stake in Publicis Sapient A.I. Labs. This acquisition will accelerate Publicis Sapient's generative A.I. offerings, allowing them to compete with other agencies using A.I. to create more personalized and engaging ad experiences.2
These developments are just the tip of the iceberg. The potential applications of Generative Visual A.I. are vast, varied, and fast developing—from creating realistic images for medical diagnosis to generating the new intro sequence for Marvel's Secret Invasion television series. The aforementioned title sequence for Secret Invasion has added to the cacophony of critique as Marvel, a creative studio, is being lambasted in the media for “disgusting” immoral practices.6
Change management: Views from the ground floor.
As a Creative Director and an artist, I've seen the transformative power of technology firsthand. But with the rise of Generative Visual A.I., I've also seen a wave of apprehension sweep across the creative community. The question on everyone's lips is, "What does this mean for me, us?"
The adoption of Generative Visual A.I. in the professional workflow has the potential to impact the creative industry significantly. On the one hand, it offers exciting possibilities. It can automate tedious tasks, freeing time for creatives to focus on more complex and rewarding aspects of their work. It can also provide new tools for creative expression, opening up avenues for innovation and experimentation that were previously unimaginable.
However, the rise of A.I. also brings challenges. The most pressing concern is the potential devaluation of the human artist and their creativity—their voice. If A.I. can generate fully composed music in seconds or create personalized content for advertising, what becomes of the human element in the creation process? Will the resulting interaction between content and audience result in an echo chamber of prescribed faux emotions that only mimic human expression and interpretation?
How do we ensure that the value of human artistry and craftwork is not lost in code?
What's On The Horizon?
In the emerging face of A.I., we must not devalue our creativity but reassert its importance. We must continue championing the diverse value of human artistry, celebrating the unique insights and perspectives we bring to our work. We must also learn to work with A.I., harnessing its capabilities to enhance our creativity rather than replace it.
The rise of A.I. underscores the importance of adaptability and lifelong learning in the creative professions. As new technologies emerge, we must be willing to learn, adapt, and evolve. We must be open to new ways-of-working, new tools, and possibilities. This is not just a challenge but an opportunity to grow, innovate, and create in ways we never thought possible.
In the age of A.I., the value of human artistry and craftwork is not diminished; instead, it is more important than ever. As we navigate this new landscape, we must remember this. We must continue to create, innovate, to tell our narratives. Because in the end, it is not the tools (medium) we use but the emotions we evoke, the connections we forge—that is the true value of human artistry.
As we stand on the precipice of a new era in creativity, I find myself reflecting on the journey that has brought me here. From my early days experimenting with Photoshop version 2, through the transition from manual to digital, to the present day where A.I. is poised to redefine the creative landscape, I recognize the constancy of change—it's always been a journey of evolution and adaptation.
The key for me, lies in understanding and leveraging the unique strengths of the human element and A.I. For example, A.I. excels at tasks involving patterns, repetition, and large amounts of data, generating content quickly, efficiently, and at scale. However, A.I. (currently) lacks the ability to understand context, empathize, and create with intention and emotion as would a human. These are the complex and nuanced territories and the domain of the human artist. As creatives, we bring a depth of understanding and a richness of feeling to our work that A.I. cannot replicate.
We (humans) understand the nuances of the lived human experience, the subtleties of emotion, and most importantly, the power of a well-told story—a human story.
1 https://www.wsj.com/articles/omnicom-group-to-debut-tool-using-generative-ai-for-advertising-employees-4976424
2 https://adage.com/article/agency-news/publicis-sapient-acquires-full-stake-ai-labs/2496571
3 https://machinelearningmastery.com/what-are-generative-adversarial-networks-gans/
4 https://bernardmarr.com/a-simple-guide-to-the-history-of-generative-ai/
6 https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/06/21/secret-invasion-ai-intro/
MidJourney was used to generate the hero art.
Grammarly was used to edit this piece.