> Art by its social nature is always derivative, I can use diffusion models to create uncontestably original imagery
How are you defining “uncontestably original” here?
The output could not exist if not for the training set used to train the model. While the process of deriving the end result is different than the one humans use when creating artwork, the end result is still derived from other works, and the degree of originality is a difference of degree, not of kind when compared to human output. (I acknowledge that the AI tool is enabled by a different process than the one humans use, but I’m not sure that a change in process changes the derivative nature of all subsequent output).
As a thought experiment, imagine that assuming we survive, after another million years of human evolution, our brains can process imagery at the scale of generative AI models, and can produce derivative output taking into account more influences than any human could even begin to approach with our 2024 brains.
Is the output no longer derivative?
Now consider the future human’s interpretation of the work vs. the 2024 human’s interpretation of the work. “I’ve never seen anything like this”, says the 2024 human. “The influences from 5 billion artists over time are clear in this piece” says the future human.
The fundamental question is: on what basis is the output of an AI model original? What are the criterion for originality?
How are you defining “uncontestably original” here?
The output could not exist if not for the training set used to train the model. While the process of deriving the end result is different than the one humans use when creating artwork, the end result is still derived from other works, and the degree of originality is a difference of degree, not of kind when compared to human output. (I acknowledge that the AI tool is enabled by a different process than the one humans use, but I’m not sure that a change in process changes the derivative nature of all subsequent output).
As a thought experiment, imagine that assuming we survive, after another million years of human evolution, our brains can process imagery at the scale of generative AI models, and can produce derivative output taking into account more influences than any human could even begin to approach with our 2024 brains.
Is the output no longer derivative?
Now consider the future human’s interpretation of the work vs. the 2024 human’s interpretation of the work. “I’ve never seen anything like this”, says the 2024 human. “The influences from 5 billion artists over time are clear in this piece” says the future human.
The fundamental question is: on what basis is the output of an AI model original? What are the criterion for originality?