CoventryThompson

Ever since the public has become fully aware of the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), the impact this may have on creative endeavors has become the subject of conversation. Discussion about whether AI art should be regulated or even banned altogether has floated around the internet as many artists and other creatives are worried about what the development of artificial intelligence could mean for their futures.

Currently, 10.2% of students are planning to pursue an artistic career. Senior Yena Kelly will be attending Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) next year. She will be majoring in sequential arts and hopes to one day have a career as a comic artist. 

Kelly does not remember when she first started noticing the rapid development of AI art but “it’s recent enough where it’s concerning for many careers, not just art,” Kelly said. 

Even though Kelly does not believe AI art will massively impact the comic industry, she is scared about what the development of AI art means for creative industries as a whole. “I think AI devalues human art. Before AI, creative careers were discouraged, and it’s really hard to get into the industry. But now that AI is around, I feel like it’s almost impossible,” Kelly said. 

“Human art has a special touch you cannot 
recreate.”

Yena Kelly ’25

Senior Greta Justice is also planning to attend SCAD next year and plans to major in painting with a minor in fashion marketing. Justice is worried that AI could affect fashion careers. “AI could affect the designing part of fashion. All that stuff that people come up with can just be typed up real quick and it’s there,” Justice said. 

Justice compares the use of AI to plagiarism, stating that it “deducts the value” of that art as a whole. 

Art teacher Mrs. Ashley Bauer believes that the line between AI being used as a helpful tool and source of plagiarism is unclear. “If it’s producing your work and you’re claiming that it’s your own, that’s obviously copyright or plagiarism. So what is too much? I think that is going to be a question for society,” Bauer said.

Kelly and Justice also fear that creativity and originality are disappearing from society. “Half of my friends who want to go into a creative career are terrified because they’re concerned they can’t find a job, so they decided to go a safer route,” Kelly said. 

Justice expressed a similar sentiment. “Creativity is something that’s been put to the side, people can forget about its importance,” Justice said.

Despite these feelings, both students retain hope for the future of art. “I’m hoping people will realize human art has a special touch you cannot recreate. There’s emotions and stories behind each piece that AI will never be able to understand, no matter how smart it is,” Kelly said. 

Justice said that AI could have some practical use for artists that doesn’t take away the originality from their work. “Let’s say I want to sketch something, but I don’t know what, so AI could give me a prompt. That’s when I think you can use it, but I don’t think it should give you the whole thing because it’s not yours,” Justice said. 

Kelly agrees and believes AI can be used during the planning stages of an art piece. “AI could work for developing references and to generate ideas, but don’t use it as the final piece,” Kelly said.