We are familiar with the rise of AI generated art, but what impact will these emerging technologies having on more traditional forms of artistic expression? To explore that question, I spoke with Virginia Damtsa, a renowned curator of contemporary art, who has worked with everyone from Peter Gabriel to Ai Weiwei, Cornelia Parker, Olafur Eliasson, Annette Messager and others.

Virginia is currently exhibiting three artists - Jonathan Yeo, Henry Hudson and Von Wolfe - in a group show in London focused on the future of AI art. In our discussion, we covered the contentious relationship between artists and AI, touching upon issues of provenance, copyright, and authenticity.

Damtsa emphasized the importance of artists leading the way in using AI as a tool for experimentation and idea generation, rather than allowing the tool to dominate the creative process. In her view, for some artists, diffusion models represent an opportunity to create their own datasets to not only harness their unique worldview, but to provide a platform for more radical exploration. 

5 Key Insights

1. AI is a powerful tool that can inspire and assist artists in their creative process when used with the artist's vision, leadership and unique distinctive style.

2. Artists can maintain control over their unique styles and prevent plagiarism by creating their own datasets for AI models.

3. AI can democratize imagery and visual art, making it more accessible to a wider audience, but proper acknowledgment, permission and collaboration with artists remain crucial.

4. The intersection of art, academia, and corporations in the AI space can be beneficial when there is open collaboration and respect for artists' rights.

5. While AI can assist with research and idea generation, the emotional and human elements of creativity remain essential to the artistic process.