Are you speculating about the creative power of Artificial intelligence (AI). Me too.  

In a previous blog post about Chat GPT titled I Need Help, I casually used Adobe FireFly to generate an illustration about Art as a Form of Self Stimulation. I wrote just one prompt: “An artist painting on a canvas in a studio.” I posted the result and said, “One and done.” 

Later, I thought, “I can improve on that. What if: on a canvas, an artist paints their self-image on Mount Rushmore. That would reinforce the theme of artists being self-absorbed. Is FireFly capable?”

Interesting? No. AMAZING! With just three text edits, in just 20 minutes.

This opens up endless questions about Art, creativity and authenticity.

In a later conversation with an artist, I compared AI to photography. How did mid nineteenth century painters react to the arrival of the camera? They pivoted, creating Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, etc. and changed painting forever.

And how long did it take for photography to be an accepted art form? I would say some sixty years. (Thank you, Alfred Stieglitz.) Someday AI will be a tool in creating art too. What will it look like? Hold that thought. Go ask Bing.