Hail, travelers! It’s been a while since I posted on my blog. I have been working on this post for a long time, because I have been in two minds about the topic. It’s not overtly long, but it is an important one to get off my chest. I believe the time is right, so here goes. Please keep in mind I'm specifically referring to generative AI, not the use of AI on a larger scale.
The use of AI is pretty much ubiquitous at this point in time. It's intuitive, many applications are accessible as long as you have an internet connection, and it has many uses to make our life much easier (provided the data is correct). While I do believe there are many beneficial contributions AI can provide (for example in medical care), I can’t help but feel frustrated and sad at the whole situation. It’s going to be a fairly long post to explain this, but it is something I need to get off my chest one way or another, and I hope my message will come through by the end. This is my own personal view, of course, and should be regarded as such. A warning is appropriate; it’s going to be salty and emotional at times, but I feel I have the right to feel the way I do.
To make any kind of sense of what I am about to write down, I need to address the fact that I actively try to avoid AI-tools or AI-applications as much as I can. This is not always possible, because Microsoft Office nowadays has various AI-applications integrated within its structure, and even Google has standard AI-tools. However, I do not use ChatGPT or any other of the popular AI-tools which are currently available. There are several reasons, which will become apparent as the post progresses.
One of the biggest reasons why I use AI to an absolute minimum is my wife. She used to be a freelance illustrator who suffered a heavy burnout more than two years ago. The rise of AI was one of the major reasons she burnt out, because the constant uphill struggle left her hopeless and unwanted as an artist. AI-art is basically theft, because it is a direct violation of copyright infringement. Images are being used without consent or financial compensation. The big AI-companies have coated their arguments with fair use and means necessary to develop AI-applications. CEO’s like Altman or Musk do not care for creativity; they use means to an end to further their own greedy ambitions, all at the expense of artists who try to make a living. Believe me when I say it’s tough when almost everyone around you is enthusiastically switching to AI because it’s easier, cheaper, and faster, despite your best efforts and despite the sometimes obvious flaws present in AI-art.
There’s also my own personality to consider as to why I’m not using AI-tools. I’m someone who involuntarily makes things more difficult than they ought to be. This is because I have struggled with the effects ADD has on my life, which means I’m always compensating through effort. Struggling and putting effort to achieve meaningful goals is what I’ve been doing my entire life, and it’s got me where I am today. Indeed, putting effort takes effort (which is something Captain Obvious would say), but that’s the entire point. The use of AI bypasses this challenge, making us susceptible to codependency and frivolity when creating art. Art has been one of the main driving factors for human culture ever since our ancestors drew the first cave paintings or constructed crude stone monuments. We should not discard that gift so carelessly in favor of indolence.
This is one of the many reasons why I love the Dungeon Synth scene so much; there is a lot of resentment when it comes to the use of AI when composing Dungeon Synth, despite many individuals or even bots turning to AI to create tracks or entire albums. The sometimes minimalistic, often introspective nature of Dungeon Synth belies the effort many artists take when they compose their music. It is often organic, always authentic, and fundamentally human. Sometimes, it is deeply touching, which is a key aspect authentic art always delivers to the onlookers who are willing or appreciative enough to perceive it.
This whole situation reminds me of a poem written by celebrated artist Jim Kirkwood. Erang released an album called The Kingdom is Ours back in 2024, which is a celebration of the genre through many collaborations. Jim Kirkwood wrote a poem for the track Aeon of the Scarecrow, which resonates with me in light of the current situation surrounding AI and the use of social media.
This is the aeon of the Scarecrow
A child must do nothing else
But hold the hand
Of its mother.
There are no sparrows in the city
And the streets are clean.
There is an emptiness here
Like a missing gift.
My neighbours use strange letters
When they speak
We no longer understand one another.
Like hares, they dance
During the hours of darkness.
When their faces are hidden.
They have knowledge of one another
But when the music stops
They know nothing at all
And their hands are lost.
There is no silence
Only the prospect of a cold morning
and the joy of an old forest
For the Kingdom is ours.
So, my advice to every artist is: never stop creating, even when you think it’s hopeless or pointless. Put AI aside when you’re in a creative mood; it will condition you subconsciously when used carelessly, and it is likely to involuntarily kill your creativity while doing so. I’m not condemning anyone for using AI, but I’m asking you to be mindful when you use it for the purposes of generative AI. Also, there is the potential danger of becoming too dependent on AI tools to such a degree that we can't function properly anymore. I dread the moment when satellites or AI-supercomputers will fail and we risk entering a new dark age of information. Many people won't know what to do. Panic may erupt if that time comes around. It is important to maintain a level of self-sufficiency. It's what we have been doing since the dawn of time, and it's what we should continue going forward.
Until next time!
#dungeonsynth #AI
Add comment
Comments