Artists, graphic designers, poets, writers — all people who dedicate their lives to children’s books, animated cartoons, the 3D models in your favorite movies and games, and the pieces that hang on the walls of The Museum Of Modern Art.
The next generation of high school students who take specific interests in the arts now face a unique challenge compared to those before them in their chosen career path; artificial intelligence, or AI.
In the past, any form of art for a full time career was already seen as a pretty challenging thing to try and get into. However, with the rise of AI, the art community has been put on edge. But, why exactly is AI only now causing new and devastating impacts on rising artists and writers of this generation?
The answer is quite simple when you look to see how AI is being used in the present day, as it has developed faster than it has ever before, faster than we ever could’ve ever imagined.
In turn, this change is impacting employment opportunities for many artists. Writer Paul Hatton explains, “AI replacing the need for artists is becoming an increasingly familiar story. The number of jobs that are referencing AI is increasing and it’s having a direct impact upon creatives throughout the creative industries.”
The layoffs caused by AI in careers that artists need to make a living are becoming increasingly more common.
During the month of June 2024, the Times had announced that some of its staffers would be significantly reduced when it came to the art production department as they take a more significant dive into the use of AI. When looking up tips and tricks to create new businesses and reduce the cost of an already present business, the suggestions of using AI instead of hiring people as graphic designers or writers were in abundance.
The constant argument is that AI can never replace artists or writers because it simply lacks what human beings can provide to art, which is genuine emotion is an argument that is constantly failing when you look at how developed some AI is getting.
The truth is simple: can people really tell the difference between AI-generated writing and human writing?
And, what is the effect that this is having on the new generation of high school students who want to go into art and media in college?
When it comes down to it, it might be time to have the tough conversation about changing their career path. With the way AI is evolving now, by the time that this generation’s artists and writers have their degrees there will no longer be a need for them because large corporations would rather use AI that would cost cheaper than actual employees to do the same job.
Places like the Museum of Modern Art will become obsolete with the ability to simply create the same image by typing it into an AI generator and the importance of artists and writers will simply slip away.
“Art is dead dude,” stated Jason M. Allen of Pueblo West, Colorado, who put his AI-generated image into a competition and won against traditional and digital artists. Authors of prize-winning novels even admit to using AI to write some degree of their stories.
And so the question still stands, why go for a career in art and media if the jobs will become obsolete in a couple years?
And if this isn’t convincing enough that AI is quickly replacing artists and writers then try this for yourself: Can you tell the difference between AI and human art
