The growing popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) has thrown all forms of schooling into a whirlwind. It has become as if we are rediscovering how to use the internet, becoming confused as to where it fits in. The ethics of using it have become blurred, especially when it is used not for formulas but for the arts.
Montclair State University is no exception, with art students and professors across many fields trying to navigate where it fits, if it does at all. Since AI learns from the information humans feed to it, it’s unclear if it can be creative on its own.
Julianna Orzechowski performing at the Debonair Music Hall | Emily McCormack
Senior recording arts student Julianna Orzechowski strongly believes it can’t.
“I’m pretty damn certain that AI cannot be creative because it’s generative,” Orzechowski said. It only know what it can hold. If you don’t feed it information… AI can guess as much as it wants and estimate and use whatever statistics that it knows already, but it can’t just come up with new ideas.”
Throughout The Montclarion’s interviews, the overwhelming consensus was that AI art doesn’t stand in opposition to human passion.
Orzechowski went on to describe AI music as the “shiny new thing” that will have a short moment, but eventually die out in popularity. However, a short moment in the spotlight can still have negative effects on the original artists, according to fellow recording arts student Danny Gadish.
“There are people putting AI music out there, and they’re profiting off of it,” Gadish said. “It’s actually getting streams and collecting revenue that should be going to original artists.”
However, since AI learns from man-made works, what makes it so different and despised by music students is its “perfection”. When sharing an experience about an AI song he heard, Gadish realized it was AI by its lack of human elements.
“I don’t think people really like things that are perfect,” Gadish said. “It’s less relatable and gets boring.”
Danny Gadish playing drums at The Williams Center, Rutherford NJ | Giacomo Silvestri
Orzechowski believes that the dull, robotic perfection of AI will make it easier for upcoming human artists to stand out.
“I think that because of the progression happening so fast and a lot of people are rushing to shiny new thing, and I think that’s actually giving people that are already against AI the chance to stand out,” Orzechowski said. “Because while people are flocking towards the shiny new thing, you’re taking that step back and giving yourself the opportunity to say, ‘How do I want to present myself and my art?'”
Shifting gears, in the film realm of Montclair State, those we interviewed were more understanding of the uses of AI, but still believed original work was better.
James Bartol, a production design professor at Montclair State, shared that the uses of AI he has experienced in his classroom were typically for inspiration or writing summaries. Using it for images can help a student’s vision be clear, and they will still use their hands to build a model.
As for writing, such as a script, there were some elements in which Bartol thought AI could improve.
“Clean structure, clarity, screen directors and storylines are gained in AI, but dialogue gets worse and lacks human quality,” Bartol said. “Humans use their own experience in what we write, but AI doesn’t have experience in the world.”
Film student Sienna Simpson agreed that AI can help in editing a script or transcriptions, but shouldn’t be used to generate a final product.
“Turning to AI to write the story is not personal,” Simpson said, once again displaying how people yearn for human touch in art.
Bartol and Simpson agreed that AI could be helpful, especially in problem-solving, but when it has to generate ideas for the student, it becomes harmful.
Visual art becomes complicated, however, as it has become integrated into many necessary materials, such as Photoshop. Adjunct photography professor Carl Gunhouse sees AI as any other tool that can be used in editing. He did not demonstrate strong malice or support for AI, as he believes that no matter the process or tools used, your art is still your art.
Gunhouse still highlighted the lack of experience gained when using artificial intelligence in such contexts. Photography often means going out into the world and going into the art, but by fabricating the experience with AI, the adventure is missed.
Clearly, the Montclair State community can’t land on one answer about where AI fits, but there is an overwhelming support for human creativity. No matter how AI may benefit or disrupt the creative process, it is the passion of people that will ultimately win over hearts.
