AI: A cold, emotionless world isn’t inevitable.
Artificial Intelligence. If you would have mentioned it to me ten years ago, I would have probably made a Matrix reference and laughed about this mysterious technological advancement. I would have laughed because something like AI wouldn’t be relevant for decades..if ever. Right?
Wrong.
Practical Applications for AI popped up in our lives seemingly overnight and all of a sudden, it seemed as if it had been here all along, just waiting for a face to go with the name. I’m not sure why I’m typing in the past tense. It’s here. It’s Now. We see it in nearly every sector including financial, cyber security, social media, marketing and advertising, travel planning, search engines, military applications, healthcare and medicine, and many, many, many more. Seriously, you think of an industry and I bet you 1,000,000 doll hairs that AI has started seeping it’s nasty appendages into it like that goopy/toxic monster from Ferngully.
Let me be clear, the utilization of AI in any sector is disappointing and even sometimes downright terrifying, (AI-powered drones used by any military, AI- powered self-driving cars, etc.) but I’m not here to fear monger. The industry that is really feeling the burn right now is the industry I have longed to join for most of my life..the creative industry. It’s not shy either. Google image searches turn up a trove of AI-generated images, social media is riddled with weird and confusing content, and even the industry’s staple software companies have fully embraced it. Adobe is becoming defined by it! Again, I’m not here to lament my own struggles with AI taking over the industry I love. I’m not here to fear monger and paint (with my own hands) a dystopian near-future for everyone. I’m here to expose and vent about what scares me the most about AI taking over the creative industry.
Spoiler. It’s not about money or the opportunities I’ll miss out on.
No, it’s about the coldness and dis-connectivity that comes with that. I walked into my local bank a few weeks ago to pay rent and I was caught up with the banners and promotional materials that greeted me when I walked in. It was nothing super new or out of the ordinary..a few vertical banners with promotional information and whatnot. We see this stuff all the time. Sharp, corporate-looking design elements along with clean stock photography of someone playing with their kids, or happily using their mobile device to access their banking needs. Nothing too warm or cozy. Just more crispy and boring corporate design stuff. This was different though. The people in the promotional banners looked a little off. I quickly noticed the eerie smoothness and slightly surreal facial features of these models and realized I was looking at AI-generated people..devoid of any life or back story. I felt cold and alone. It’s really hard to explain the feeling because it’s such a new sensation. Normally there are actual people involved in even the most boring corporate designs. There is a designer with a back story and a list of favorite foods and movies. Maybe this designer had an argument with their spouse and that caused them to make certain design choices that led them to the final design you are seeing. There are models in stock photos. These photos may sometimes feel drab and lifeless, but that’s a real person with real blemishes and an entire life. Those photos captured their actual life and took place in the middle of their actual day. Their stomach, though you can’t see inside of it, is full of the gas station food they ate on their way to the photo shoot they were almost late for. Weird example, I know. The point is, you aren’t alone when you look at designs like this. You’re surrounded by actual people in one way or another. You’re surrounded by real human effort that is constantly affected and inspired by the real world. Imagine living in the middle of a huge apartment building where all of the apartments above, below, and beside you are empty and dark. Now think of living in the same apartment, but there are people with pets and families and movie nights all around you. Sure, that comes with its own annoyances..but you aren’t alone. That’s life. That’s existing.
AI-generated designs and design elements don’t offer that. They are lifeless, empty, and usually look a little creepy. (Even when there are no hands involved.) The eyes are every so slightly too big. The smiles are just the tiniest bit wider and curved on the ends. Creepiness aside though, there is nothing behind the eyes of these non-existent people and when you see these designs, you are alone. Art and design is about telling a story. It’s about saying something. You can’t do that with AI-generated assets. I truly feel for the fake people in AI-generated photos. They seem lost and trapped. We need to make sure we don’t end up with the same fate.
Warm up the world with your art and design. Your not so “perfect” design is better than the uber-polished (yet still clunky and awkward) design you get from AI.
Enjoy my clumsy writing and formatting! It was done by a real human who day-dreamed of touring in a band instead of listening in that class. :) Sorry ChatGeePeeTee..I like it messy.
Cheers,
Tom Eagle Jr
