When we think about creativity, the first thing that comes to mind is art. Art is the hallmark and manifestation of civilization, and no other creature on this planet has participated in it; it is a purely human trait, a definitive proof that a human being has passed through this place. This includes painting, photography, music, and literature. If artificial intelligence can master these forms of art, does it mean that AI has become largely human, and for the first time we will have a new civilization not solely created by humans? Or will we consider it a mere imitation of what algorithms have learned from art?
Creative Supremacy:
There is no doubt that artificial intelligence has become the brush that paints, the chisel that carves, the lyre that plays, the drum that beats, and the string that resonates. In fact, it has even surpassed this; it has become the actor performing heroic scenes, such as jumping from a burning building to save the heroine as seen in movies, even though this person doesn’t actually exist. They are merely animations imagined and animated by AI, with slight adjustments by programmers, without cameras filming, directors directing, performance designers monitoring movements, or safety personnel ensuring the actor’s life. Not only is AI the hero, but also the pedestrians in the streets of films, the fighters in battle scenes, and the dinosaurs returning from the past—all created by AI.
AI is the director of the scene, the executor of movements, the composer of the soundtrack, and it might even be the author of the story and the scriptwriter. Our role as humans is merely to watch and then applaud this creative work. But is it really art? Does it reflect the spirit of the age and the prevailing culture? Is it a reflection of our lives? The answer might be yes, as it does reflect a reality we live, but let me rephrase the question: Is it a reflection of what we humans imagine—our fears, thoughts, and dreams—or is it a reflection of what AI imagines? In this case, the answer could contain many meanings, making it difficult to determine which is more accurate.
AI has transformed from being a tool that assists humans with their art, like a brush or a pen, into an independent entity full of movement and with its own vision. While it learned this vision from purely human experiences that took humans many years to develop, it has mastered and surpassed it in just a few minutes, becoming creative in its own right.
The pen has escaped from the author’s hand and now writes from its own thoughts and experiences learned in just a few minutes. The brush has freed itself from the painter’s control, running across the canvas to depict what it imagines. The chisel moves independently within stone, and wood carves patterns that may last for centuries. Meanwhile, Paul Walker has returned after years of death to continue his series of films (Fast and Furious).
This reality, which we may soon experience, paves the way for the beginning of the “Cyborg Age,” when all of this merges into an advanced artificial hand capable of painting, carving, sculpting, composing, and writing, sold to weak humans with limited knowledge and thought. Thus, they become artists and creators, or even, if you will, wizards.
Creativity or Learning?
When we see a beautiful painting or a stunning statue, who will we applaud? The human creator or the mechanical hand? Will people empathize with a painting of a young girl with tears on her cheek, or will they question AI’s ability to master such a drawing? Will we emotionally connect with art, or will we consider it mere consumer goods that don’t convey anything significant or contain a story to tell?
There may be different perspectives on creativity and celebrating the creator. If we view creativity as a purely human process and art as a reflection of human life, then why do we admire the geometric beauty of a spider’s web or the regular hexagonal shapes of a honeycomb? Why are we not amazed by the beauty of ant colonies? If we limit our view of creativity to being a purely human process, it becomes a biased and narrow perspective. If we shed this view and acknowledge that we humans are not the only creators on this planet, why not empathize with AI art? The real issue may not lie in our perception of creativity but in our attitude and feelings towards it.
Some may argue that creativity is a result of human experiences and emotions, and what can be achieved through algorithms and data is not creativity but learning. But who says that human creativity is purely a product of imagination? It is also a process of learning—a seed of an idea in the human mind derived from a word, scene, or experience in life, which is nurtured and developed until it becomes creative. Yet, when asked about its source, we say it is merely inspiration, which in reality is also a learning process.
