The OpenAi OpenAi home page ready for a new prompt.
Tuesday, April 15, the USAOBOUND social media page published an article using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create an image of the campus mascot, Dusty the Drover, as a figure of action in the packaging in store. This was caused by a popular trend, and made with light intentions, even if in bad taste.
However, there is more in this trend and the type of content that has become widespread not only in the media, but also in other areas of our life. Let’s take a look at some of the causes and implications of this incident, and what the future could contain relations between universities, AI and art.
Firstly, this trend specifically uses one of OpenAi’s image features to create a plastic interpretation and similar to a toy, based on a photo and a prompt. It becomes a common way to use AI, to reproduce a specific style and appearance.
This may seem harmless at first glance, but it is important to note that above all and above all, any use of AI art supports the lag of true art. These trends are part of the greater push that encourages companies to focus more on AI art to the detriment of career artists.
The use of these trends is not only frivolous, but it has recently become part of political rhetoric. Another invitation that has spread on the internet is the “Ghibli studio” style. Known for his soothing and picturesque visuals and his touching stories, he obtained the same treatment.
Ironically, Ghibli’s films take years of work by artists and animators behind them, and crafts are obvious in the final result. Now, AI has reproduced the style, which facilitates the creation of a quick and cheap copy, devoid of the quality of the original but sufficiently emotional to become popular.
On March 27, the White House began to use the prompt to glorify the repression policies of the Trump administration. The first image was of a man in military uniform in front of an American flag escorting a woman crying in the handcuffs.
This is only many ways that the White House uses modes and pop culture to praise these policies in a contrasting manner. What distinguishes this is the use of AI art to do so.
It is not a question of comparing the post of the White House and the position produced by Usao as an equal, but to show which spaces that this use of AI makes the titles. As a establishment dedicated to the creation of a favorable and inclusive environment, there are social factors to keep in mind, which have been neglected.
The students and former students of the USAO expressed the inappropriate nature of the post, and it was abolished following an email concerning the situation by the vice-president of the management of inscriptions and student life, Sheppard McConnell, who apologized for the offense that the post caused.
One of the points of the email is that the social media page is partially managed by the students and is a place for them to acquire experience. It is a fact, however, that regardless of their position, students represent the university when publishing a public account on social networks on behalf of USAO.
Not only is this account consulted by current students and graduates, but it is also intended for new potential members of the campus community. These types of messages could be discouraging for budding artists and others who are looking for a career now infiltrated by AI.
The worrying part of the email is this quote:
“Our intention to explore trends such as the imagery generated by AI is to engage in contemporary digital culture and to provide learning opportunities to our students. Our mission of liberal arts is rooted in the promotion of the open investigation and critical thinking, and we think that engaging with emerging technologies, even those that raise complex questions, is a crucial aspect of this mission. ” McConnell said.
This is disturbing due to the intention to incorporate the use of AI, despite the threat it constitutes towards artists and other creatives, in university practices. Committing to contemporary digital culture is not a sufficient reason to encourage the use of AI tools in a way that removes the artistic talent from the image.
Last week, I attended two different events with teaching workshops. The first was the OCMA Awards with the trend on Wednesday April 2 and was the first professional framework where we were encouraged to use AI in our work.
The speaker used IA images in their presentation of slides and encouraged university journalists to use an application to make recorded interviews, feed them in the Chatppt, then edit them to be adapted to the publication. What made him even more incredible is that it followed a section on how to be a source of confidence information.
Then, USAO welcomed the retirement of student leadership of Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Friday April 4. The final workshop I sat on was how to win digital badges. It was by following specific lessons to connect employers to people to the skills they wish.
It was strongly Encouraged that everyone, whatever the choice of career, takes a course and is certified in AI. It was said that they expected the AI to be part of each type of job in the next year.
Not only as an artist, but as a person, it’s more than worrying. In the space of a week, I felt several times personally threatened by the use of AI in spaces directly affecting my future and the future of my peers. The value of originality seems to fall every day.
If you feel the same thing, it might not seem that there are a lot of things you can do. Expressing your concern, firmly and respectfully, is certainly a good starting point. Be aware of what you consume online, and don’t forget to enhance art not only as a product, but as an expression containing real human creativity.
Thomas Buchanan is a major in third year of art at the Oklahoma University of Sciences and Arts.
