We are a group of creative kinds of human beings who think and feel that Artificial intelligence (Ai) is fine for many things, just not for the kinds of creativity that express human experience, psychology, emotion.
So, what is Ai good for? One very obvious use for it is sorting large amounts of data for easier detailed analysis, fact-checking and processing into information by human beings. This, however, is mediated by the planet-eating negatives that such gruntwork brings to the collective table. As we write this, collectively, Ai datacentres are popping up like acne on the face of innocent teenagers. These are huge places, cathedrals to novelty rather than either progress or evolution that, when completed, employ fewer people than a mid-sized supermarket in the outback, boondocks, back-of-beyond. These places offer very little while taking very much in terms of valuable resources.
Once these and other murderous wrinkles (greed, ego the standard traits of technocratic ‘bros’) are flattened out we believe that as a set of technologies it can be used for the greater good of humanity; for the greater good of the planet as an entity. Maybe Ai can help honing that. Until then Ai requires the kinds of strict regulation that the oil, tobacco, pharma, weapons industries should have had from their origins but did not, and do not, get.
Art for heart’s sake
As artists we also believe that Ai cannot be used to recreate human experiences, emotions, psychologies, in short ‘art’ with a lower-case ”a” to distinguish it from the Art that pertains to the Art Market in which money is stored and transferred. The kind of Ai that we object to is called Generative Ai. It is the result of theft, greed, mediocrity, laziness, a deep craving for recognition with the requirement for thought, effort, the joy of youth, the pain of mining the self for raw materials. This kind of Ai actively retards the rich, often rough, sometimes ecstatic experience of what it is to be human.
Not for money
This site is not for money. We don’t ask for contributions of any kind from anyone. If you would like to contribute work, that’s lovely, wonderful and maybe anarchic or even anarchistic but it will not pay for your food, rent, water or healthcare. Therefore, while we would welcome contributions (see our FAQ) we do not pay nor do we ask for payment from you, the artist or the viewer, reader or listener.
That, of course, is madness. In a capitalist environment where food, health, water, housing and other necessities are all tradeable commodities, it is completely insane. Good! We are fortunate enough to be in a position to offer our lower-case a art, and to showcase other people’s. So, we are doing it. Love to all. art is good. art is human. art is a distillation of thought, dreams, hopes and emotions by humans for humans.
Viva art!
