The Ai debate rages on on my Facebook (and, yes, that's how I write the initialisation of Artificial Intelligence deliberately, so I can tell the difference between it and a guy called Al. How I differentiate between Information Technology and the clown from that Stephen King TV series is a different kettle of fish.)
Above we see just one of a group of metal plaques on sale at Topsham Antiques Centre. Before we get to my and my friends' opinions on those, let's look back over this week's discussion of the subject.
Jan 15: Today in Ai, on just one first-scroll-of-the-morning. So what do I say to my good friend and top comic, a charity I approve of, and local small businesses who’ve all used Ai to make their ads?
I’m reminded of my lifelong support of CND. 40 years ago the likes of Ronald Reagan were saying to me “why should I lag behind in the arms race because you dispute the morality of the weapons?”
Now it’s my local small business asking me the same question.
Star Man
Tell them they are using soulless imagery.
Awful.
Adam Smith
Generate an AI Brendon Burns live set and watch that.
Stuart Robinson
"Prompting is harder than it looks"? Is that because it requires people to know how to write and use words? Don't worry, soon A.I. will be able to respond to illiterate grunting and vague bashing of the keyboard, making everyone a creative genius. .
Lew Stringer, Cartoonist
Perhaps if they want to entice customers to their pub and restaurant they could prompt it so that there's more than bowls of chicken nuggets on the menu. Or beans. Or Golden Nuggets cereal, or whatever that mess is supposed to represent.
The comedy poster looks like it's nicked Adi Granov's style but made it seedy and soulless.
All crappy AI slop.
Craig Johnson
Most common comment I see now is that large numbers of people -- perhaps a majority -- just don't care about AI being used for this sort of thing. i.e. the battle is lost effectively. Now the AI Cat is out of the bag is it ever going to go back in?
Dan McDaid
They all, all of them, look like shit. But to the undiscerning eye, they're fine, and that is of course what these are aimed at. So yeah, we're probably sunk, good enough is good enough, and I hope everyone who wants to get into this line of "work" from now on is independently wealthy.
Shane Chebsey
I just don't support or partake in any company or individual using AI in this way.
It they steal from artists they don't get my business or my friendship... Simple.
I don't post this slop in my feed either.
Yours, with his finger wedged tightly in the moral dyke
Benjamin Bankole Bello
Kev your post was brought to my attention by a friend. I don’t get the point of your post, I note one of your friends has already criticised my ear, perhaps an understanding of why so many people use AI would be a great start. I am doing my best to promote a forthcoming show the real poster is attached
Sean Mason
Here's the thing, yeah, there are a chunk of people who don't care but there are a lot more that do. It is worth pointing out Meta is going all out on AI so you'll see a lot more of it and as you're interacting with AI art posts it'll show you more. It's a problem yes, but doomerism isn't going to help.
Kev Sutherland
There’s a heartfelt discussion of the subject on my podcast next week, from a voiceover artist whose work is being tangibly and constantly stolen by Ai.
I would like to see justice, and recompense from the developers. In the case of artists and authors, the organisations I’m members of, like DACS, Society of Authors, and Equity could campaign for every one of us who’s had work published and broadcast could be reimbursed, constantly and ongoing, by the Ai companies. Like boatmen in London used to get whenever a new bridge was built.
As for closing Pandora’s Box, that’s harder to do.
Sean Mason
which I get and is all very worthy but as someone who is aware of how widespread it is, hates it and is also really trying to stay motivated at a time when a lot of my life's pursuits are constantly in the balance I don't need to see this shit in my feed every day because it feels like doomerism and for my own sanity I need to avoid that. So I'm going to unfollow you. Its not osterichism, its for my own mental health.
Jan 17: Today in Ai: metal signs for sale in local antiques centre. I’ve been asked why I share this stuff, since it upsets and depresses people. My reply (to Sean Mason from an earlier thread) is:
I’m trying to balance the ostrich effect. On this thread, or an earlier one, my friends have genuinely suggested I should block friends who use Ai (I guess that would include the family member who had an Ai picture of their dog as Chewbacca on their Xmas card) and stop doing business with people who’ve used it (including two comicons I’m going to, a podcast I’ve been on, and comedy clubs where I’ll only spot it on the poster when I arrive).
We have to be aware how widespread this is, who uses it, and why. Not stick our fingers in our ears and go “not listening”
There’s a heartfelt discussion of the subject on my podcast next week, from a voiceover artist (Louisa Gummer) whose work is being tangibly and constantly stolen by Ai.
I would like to see justice, and recompense from the developers. In the case of artists and authors, the organisations I’m members of, like DACS, Society of Authors, and Equity could campaign for every one of us who’s had work published and broadcast could be reimbursed, constantly and ongoing, by the Ai companies. Like boatmen in London used to get whenever a new bridge was built.
As for closing Pandora’s Box, that’s harder to do.
Steve Roberts
They’re awful, particular the garbage text on the Players one and the bizarre extra engine on Memphis Belle. Clearly there’s no quality control, it just go directly from an AI prompt to sign manufacture with no human oversight between. Did you say anything to the shop?
Kev Sutherland
What should I say?
“One of your vendors (it’s an antique centre on four floors, in Topsham if anyone fancies starting the confrontation for me) is selling plaques they bought from a wholesaler who uses Ai art on their products to get round copyright?”
And what response do you think I’ll get from the octogenarian behind the counter?
Steve Roberts
Well than being directly confrontational, you could say “Given the good reputation your business has, I’m really surprised that you’re risking that reputation by allowing your vendors to pass off AI generated tat as authentic art.”
Kev Sutherland
Yeah. I could.
“That’s nice dear”.
I’m betting that’d be the reply. I’ll never know, I’m in Exeter now.
NB the record section did a good line in bootleg albums. Again, if anyone’s interested.
David Lloyd
You're taking this far too lightly, Kev. Sure, an octogenarian - if he is one - might not have the energy or concern to address the situation, but at least you could bring it to his attention with a seriousness you're not showing here. That ' horse has bolted ' stuff will always triumph if you and everyone else uses it as an excuse to move on and do nothing.
Stuart Mitchell
I don't think it's necessarily inherently bad, I just think its badly quality controlled and I think there needs to be something that allows you to spot a better done one in terms of deepfakes etc, I think it can have a place but as a tool rather than an end product, I say as a graphic designer that most people care about the end product not the journey - when we work in the arts I think we forget that not everyone sees things the way we do - and if it's good enough it will take over - but it's not there yet but it might get there, I think we wont put the genie back in now so regulation and quality control are what will make the difference, is there art is framing the correct ai prompt as there is for the perfect google search?
David Lloyd
Er... yes, Stuart. It is inherently bad.
Chris Chopping
irrespective of the arguments for or against AI, what I can’t get over is the number of people who put in a prompt, get out an image full of spelling mistakes, bonus fingers and random objects sticking out of peoples’ sides etc and instead of thinking “oh dear, that hasn’t worked!” They clearly think, “that’ll do!”
Because all too often they put it out into the world with all the mistakes still there.
Edward Knight
My Books And Where To Find Them...
It is inherently bad to fake up antiques by using an AI platform to make bogus vintage artwork.
Chris Chopping
I don’t like generative AI. I worry about the environmental impact and the effect on creators.
That said, a friend showed me how she made an AI poster and I can totally understand why she would. It allowed to her quickly and easily make a poster that lookers slicker and more professional than could be easily knocked up in Canva without a lot more time and effort.
Plus she showed it to me and there were no extra fingers, alien words or freaky smiles etc. I’m sure she’d have tried to fix it if there had been.
I suppose from one point of view you’d say a little local comedy night has no budget to pay a graphic designer to put a poster together so this is just simplifying what a promotor would have done on Canva or photoshop or whatever. So it isn’t directly costing anyone work. I’d still sooner avoid it though.
Edward Knight
South American magic realist literature and French post-structuralism have long predicted the wholesale replacement of reality with a fake version that people prefer when offered the choice. And here we are. It now infests education too. At the same time as my superiors want me to customise 500 lessons in a year to the peculiar quirks of my pupils (they call them 'learning needs'), they urge me to use A.I. to rewrite published texts and generate comprehension questions, even though that may make teachers obsolete within 10 years.
Annette Tweed Lanckmans
It was an Ewok 
Jan 18: Today in Ai: your opinion sought - Ai or not?
I’m now doing hallucinating all of my own. Yesterday in Exeter I saw these posters and I think they’re drawn by Ai. I think I can see artefacts and tell tales. But I could be wrong. In fact two free online Ai-checkers tell me they’re not Ai. So, am I right? You tell me. I may have overdosed on trying to tell fake from fact.
Also all those “Donald Trump gets someone else’s trophy” memes. Are they Ai or Ok?
Jan 18: Very good article on the subject by Jessi Frey.
Me: Oh gawd, this just what we needed, nuance!
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