Welcome to the Mind Fuzz newsletter, a recap of three things that are on my mind this week.
1. AI Images
AI image generation… that’s what’s been on my mind.
If you’ve been on this internet this week, you would have probably seen some incredible examples of this.
Historic moments in history rendered in Studio Ghibli form.
Beautiful maps and diagrams rendered with just a few simple instructions.
But more importantly (or frighteningly), realistic stuff.
AI is now so good that it’s almost impossible to tell what’s real and what’s not.
This is scary, yes.
But it’s also giving power to the people.
Whilst there’s no denying that the opportunities are pretty much endless now, it begs the question…
What’s the cost?
2. Losing Art
In our quest for efficiency, will true art be lost along the way?
I think this is what worries me most.
And I think, without doubt, the answer is yes.
In Studio Ghibli’s ‘The Wind Rises’, a four-second crowd scene took 1 year and 3 months to complete.
The scene consisted of 96 images, all hand-drawn and painted with water colour.
In other words, art.
What if that four second scene took just a few minutes to complete, with entirely AI generated imagery?
Would it still hold the same emotional value?
When efficiency is at our fingertips, patience becomes obsolete.
And without patience, I don’t think true art can exist.
3. Devaluing Creativity
“I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my art at all. I strongly feel like this is an insult to life itself.”
Hayao Miyazaki
These were the comments made by Hayao Miyazaki (co-founder of Studio Ghibli) when viewing AI in the animation world for the first time.
What’s worse is that those comments were made 8 years ago.
Now, idiots like me can create Studio Ghibli-style art in a matter of seconds.
What would Miyazaki say about that?
I frequently mention the importance of passion and creativity in the pursuit of a fulfilling life.
I think this is where AI will be most detrimental.
We’re devaluing our own abilities, and we’re devaluing what it means to be human.
I’m not sure where this will land us, but a big part of me doesn’t want to find out.
Stay creative, at all costs.
