What's been happening in Feb 2025 (and A.I.)

 

The topic of A.I. generated art is getting louder in my ears. Like it's telling me, I've got to do something about it now or get left behind. Become obsolete. Will it put artists out of their jobs? Will artists still be needed? Common questions. If you're an artist, I'm sure you all have given it some thought already. I don't have all the answers. I still like drawing with my fountain pens. They give me more pleasure than getting my computer to generate an image for me. 

Complaining doesn't put me in a mindset to solve things. I do like seeing things from a positive/helpful angle. Manga and anime artists in Japan seem to be embracing it to produce work quicker. So to me, using an A.I. generator is like hiring an assistant or intern that can help me produce my work quicker. But, just having an assistant doesn't mean I'm going to produce work that will sell or make me rich.
I'd still have to direct my assistant to produce work that will be amazing. The stories and ideas will still have to come from me. And with the assistant, I can execute those stories and ideas quicker. If I train my assistant well enough, I'd be able to do that seamlessly. 

I could be wrong, but it looks like, if we artists focus on learning how to tell stories better, how to communicate ideas better, how to decide on what makes an artwork work and what doesn't, then an A.I. generator can become a useful assistant, rather than something that we fear will replace us.

In any case, I still like spending time away from the screens with pen, ink and paper and daydreaming.