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I can’t, in good faith, show these AI-generated creations and not first acknowledge the critical lens through which I view this process. Working/displaying these creations is not done without immense thought processes and deliberative conversations regarding the implications and the worthiness of this creation. I do, however, believe that the world is evolving and there is a deep part of my being that wants to tug on the strings and see what I'm handed.
I often see people dismiss AI altogether and argue that the world should stop advancing, stop exploring, because technology is destroying us. Regardless if I even believe in that statement or not, I believe i have no right, unless im able to get a full grasp of every AI implication, good and bad, to tell the world consisting of researchers, scientists, philosophers, activists, and so many more to stop searching, stop learning, because I think that we would be better off. Unless I dedicate my life to understanding every outcome and every implication, I don't think I can push my belief to the top of the hierarchy because of my moral compass. My moral compass, guided by truth and compassion, is still inherently biased. While my many concerns are aligned with the majority I see online, I also can't help but acknowledge some massively positive impacts, such as AI's role in solving protein folding. I can believe something is bad, but I don't believe in placing my opinion above others when there is a much, much larger conversation to be had. Historically speaking, it could even be argued that these shifts have been creating currents that have traveled centuries, and now they have landed us here. Walter Benjamin wrote, “In principle, the work of art has always been reproducible. Objects made by humans could always be copied by humans. Replicas were made by pupils in practicing for their craft, by masters in disseminating their works, and, finally, by third parties in pursuit of profit. But the technological reproduction of artworks is something new. Having appeared intermittently in history, at widely spaced intervals, it is now being adopted with ever-increasing intensity. Graphic art was first made technologically reproducible by the woodcut, long before written language became reproducible by movable type. The enormous changes brought about in literature by movable type, the technological reproduction of writing, are well known. But they are only a special case, though an important one, of the phenomenon considered here from the perspective of world history. In the course of the Middle Ages, the woodcut was supplemented by engraving and etching, and at the beginning of the nineteenth century by lithography” (The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility). Technology has been making significant impacts on reproduction for a long time, and while what’s occurring now is completely new, who am I to say that my belief right now is the correct one when humans have always been working towards these reproductions, simplifications, and speeding processes. We, as a species, have proven to have an endless drive. That's why I believe it's important to look at the bigger picture and examine the implications of that drive critically. Because this goes beyond what you may want, this is a larger demonstration of the human experience. To me, it says more about humans as a species and brings me to wonder why we are naturally guided in society to reproduce faster. Why?
I am purposely, in this statement, not delving into the potential of destruction through the works of AI. I believe dark forces are all around us and have been poisoning societies for a very, very long time. Though I can't just say outright that AI is the single most destructive thing, and it needs to end. I think there's more to say about the human condition and societal advancements that allude to that kind of narrative. I just don't think it's that simple.
It’s just been rubbing me the wrong way when I see people posting on TikTok, wearing their capitalistic, micro-trended clothes, telling their thousands of followers their belief, but framing it as a fact, that “AI must be stopped!!!! AI IS RUINING US!!!! WE NEED TO START REVERSING! BRING ME A HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE AND TELL ME TO PICK BERRIES, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS A SOCIETY.” The lack of acknowledgment that algorithms are the very reason you and your room are draped in the current culture of coolness and relevancy. The very people watching the video, brought to your page by none other than AI-driven algorithmic developments. To further this, I've seen people talk about how they look down on others for using AI, describing it as “cringeworthy”. Now, I understand why some applications of AI may not resonate with you, and you may find them dumb and pointless, because they probably are. Sure. But to dismiss the entire existence of AI as “cringeworthy” tells me that there is a different issue at hand, the lack of understanding of the larger world around oneself. The world outside of your bubble of consumption. The microscopic lens that some people look at life, as if these people didn't consider for a moment the positive implications of AI, or maybe the uses of AI that they weren't already aware of. The inability to think about these issues more broadly is what irritates me. I completely understand protesting AI and coming to the conclusion that the cons ultimately outweigh the pros. But I guess what's bugging me is that it isn't the conversation that's being had.
There is no acknowledgement of the other side, instead, there's a moral high ground, a hierarchical type of silencing. Sound familiar? Politics and the rhetoric in political conversations are so important when trying to have honest and informative conversations that lead to a better future. I fear the lack of useful language when I hear people talking down on AI will only fuel the fire we are all scared of. We cannot advocate for betterment if we are simultaneously silencing the only aspect of betterment that AI has to offer. I urge people to take some time to read some perspectives, philosophers have been talking about this forever. I still have so much to learn and think about, and I cannot be clearer when saying I'm scared too, and I'm pessimistic as well. I just don't see people with that perspective in the environments I frequent in the digital space. I hope for the future that this broader approach will be examined through law and through examining the works of past philosophers who have put tremendous thought into what makes art, what creates an aura, what reproduction means, and what type of control an artist ultimately has.
AI-Generated Animations
Runway + Midjourney + Sora
Midjourney + Sora