Is AI Truly AI?
By James X Patterson
Artificial cannot be spelled without Art! Art has evolved right alongside humanity. Now our creations can create, right alongside us, although not without provocation. We have given the golem the ability to create and recreate.
Is this phenomenon a natural development due to our evolutionary path? A path that may be breaking off from our very own natural progression? Has Moore’s Law, a theory that states the number of transistors on a microchip doubles almost every two years, while the cost of computers decreases, surpassed the laws of man and nature?
What is Artificial Intelligence? With a name comes a purpose, and with a purpose comes a job, a title, and a hierarchy. With a name comes power, and with power comes corruption, and possible destruction.
As Art has evolved along man so have tools which then led to industry, which then led to technology. Which we now find ourselves at the bleeding edge of where fact meets fiction, and real meets augmented and virtual realities.
New frontiers where one can manifest their destiny. Where the once-projected future was just seen as a form of entertainment constrained between the covers of novels and the curtains of theaters and films. Will this lead to a Brave New World or end in a New World Order?
Now we stand firmly like the protagonist of Caspar David Friedrich’s masterpiece as wanderers in this sea of fog, oh how sublime. AI is here and it is here to stay. So, we must get used to it and learn how to use it, properly and improperly, because once the rules are there, then they will be broken.
Many times in history only through breaking the rules true innovation was fashioned. Our today fuels tomorrow. Our dreams inevitably become reality.
To Define is To Know, Cirilo F. Bautista, and understanding breeds truth. The term Artificial Intelligence is a compound proper noun composed of the words artificial and intelligence. The definition of artificial is,
Artificial adjective ar·ti·fi·cial ˌär-tə-ˈfi-shᵊl
1: humanly contrived (see CONTRIVE sense 1b) often on a natural model: MAN-MADE
an artificial limb artificial diamonds 2 a: having existence in legal, economic, or political theory
b: caused or produced by a human and especially a social or political agency
an artificial price advantage Within these companies, qualified women run into artificial barriers that prevent them from advancing to top positions in management.—James J. Kilpatrick 3a
: lacking in natural or spontaneous quality an artificial smile an artificial excitement b: IMITATION, SHAM artificial flavor 4: based on differential morphological characters not necessarily indicative of natural relationships an artificial key for plant identification 5 obsolete : ARTFUL, CUNNING
-Merriam Webster
and,
Ar·ti·fi·cial /ˌärdəˈfiSH(ə)l/ adjective 1. made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of something natural.
"her skin glowed in the artificial light"
2.(of a person or their behavior) insincere or affected.
"an artificial smile"
Oxford Languages, Google
The definition of intelligence is,
Intelligence Noun in·tel·li·gence in-ˈte-lə-jən(t)s (1): the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations : REASON also : the skilled use of reason (2): the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one's environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria (such as tests) c: mental acuteness : SHREWDNESS b Christian Science : the basic eternal quality of divine Mind 2a: INFORMATION, NEWS b: information concerning an enemy or possible enemy or an area also: an agency engaged in obtaining such information 3: the act of understanding : COMPREHENSION 4: the ability to perform computer functions 5a: intelligent minds or mind cosmic intelligence b: an intelligent entity especially :
-Merriam Webster
and,
In·tel·li·gence /inˈteləj(ə)ns/ noun
1. the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills."an eminent man of great intelligence"
Similar: intellectual/mental capacity intellect mind brain brains brainpower powers of reasoning judgment reason reasoning understanding comprehension acumen wit sense insight perceptiveness perception perspicaciousness perspicacity penetration discernment sharpness quickness of mind quick-wittedness smartness canniness astuteness intuition acuity alertness cleverness brilliance aptness ability giftedness talent braininess Opposite: stupidity
2. the collection of information of military or political value. "the chief of military intelligence"
Similar: information gathering surveillance observation reconnaissance
Oxford Languages, Google
The brief definitions above help create a base understanding of the phrase Artificial Intelligence (AI). From this one can assess a synonym for AI can be ‘Man-made Mindset”. Following this same logic, Natural Stupidity can also be devised as an antonym. Neither of these terms sounds as creative or as inspired as the original and lends less to the mystique. Both are not as marketable. They do not roll off the tongue for a dynamic elevator pitch and are large-scale crowd-funding campaigns.
AI programs do not “learn” by our common definition. Yes, they produce, but only from their base programs. So, one can also concur all AI productions are reproductions. Processed plagiarisms produced by programs only do what it has been commanded to produce. Elaborate imitations so good that they fool many others. Ironically many people also feel that way about their life, or life in general. Only creating from what has once been seen, or recreating what is already known until mastered to perfection, like a recipe, a classic song, or an honored cultural routine. Machine power has always been more efficient than manpower, but that is exactly what machines are designed to do, so there is no surprise there.
The argument, the purpose of this paper is to help redefine the definition of true learning, of true thought, and what it truly means to naturally think and create. Is processing, from a machine perspective, equivalent to the human soul? I would argue no. No more than hearing a radio is to have a conversation.
Demystifying AI is a part of strengthening its future. No one refers to a hammer as a nail banger or nail puller, so a relabeling, or rebrand, of AI, may be needed in the future to further produce the best results in widespread use and mass appeal.
Generative AI is the phrase used most often to date. The “generative” helps imply the algorithmic importance of the systems processes. The AI can not produce, or generate, an answer or a result without quantitative data first. The scanning and upload of existing images, writings, or inspirations that allow the AI program to complete its task, purpose, or function. Here lies the problem with our current definition of the technology and its actuality.
A hammer, hammers. An AI does not artificially intellect to be straightforward. The calculator is now able to do more than crunch numbers. The calculator can now write and make images, but only like or from images, and words, it has already been “fed” or input. The technology allows for high-level mimicry and fabrication, but not truly original thought, although it may appear as such by the user or viewer.
The best and most modern AI programs can and will even site their sources, probably better than a human could. The AI is not designed to lie. Even if asked to deceive the AI will only do so at the behest of the user. This is where the strength of the technology also lives and weakens the ability of improper use of the future for artists and average users.
The term AI has been demonized long enough. It has a negative connotation that harbors in some minds, and hearts the same fear and misunderstanding as Revelations in the Bible or Ragnorak in Norse mythology. AI has unfortunately become synonymous with the end of days. The end of all living things, and the fear of replacement to a machine era, ruled by robotic demigods and demagogues. Where man truly is because of the cogs of an unnatural wheel. A technological version of replacement theory. A theory that will be expanded upon in the coming sections.
Is AI truly AI? It is a creative buzz term that surely is effective in marketing but when you strip it done to its core, the proverbial bare bones, can this two-letter acronym truly describe the technology of today? Machine learning has been an ideation of science fiction since the 1940s and 50s with works such as Issac Asimov’s I, Robot or Robbie.
The initial concept of Artificial Intelligence was something more fantastical some have described it as the proverbial Magic Mirror on the wall, which nowadays would keep you updated on your dental appointments, tell you the weather, as well as which current celebrity was the fairest of them all. Will Dall-E replace Dali? Will ChatGPT surpass Shakespeare? Who knows, but we do know the answer to the question of succession because you could not have the AI before “the guy”.
In reality, our future seems to be rhyming more than repeating. The pursuit of creating what we see, capturing moments, and repeatedly gazing upon them started with cave drawings and paintings, the original Natural Geographic, red handprints and graphic depictions of running bulls found in Spanish caves, Egyptian hieroglyphs the ancient emojis, Byzantine illuminated manuscripts the eternal great grandfather of all smart tablets. The birth of photography, without it Instagram and possibly all of the social media may never have existed.
What is the Artist role in using tools modern technologies, and techniques? In David Hockney’s book, Secret Knowledge, Hockney elaborates on the numerous tools and painting techniques of the Old Masters. Tools and techniques that gave them superhuman abilities, accuracy, and precision, led to the creation of images that crafted our modern society's mindset and viewpoint on and about what Art is, was, and could be. Did some of our most treasured Artists from history such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Jan van Eyck use tools like the camera obscura or camera lucida to form the realism in their paintings? We will never know, but those tools, that technology did exist during their lifetime and were most likely used by their contemporaries.
Ancient cartographers used telescopes, compasses, and sextants to map the land, sea, and stars. Creating maps of the world is impossible to the naked eye. Which now look grossly inferior to modern satellite-guided GPS, all only a thumb swipe away. Ancient tools we still use present day, although they are the most advanced digital descendants, still hold the same purpose as their analog ancestors. Ironically, these are also tools seen as, or sometimes used, as symbols of colonization, and to some global oppression. Not so different than ships and guns. All in the pursuit of gold, God, and glory. Man has always used machines for guidance.
So, maybe in the future if misguided, there could be an AI uprising, but what that is and looks like could be far less impactful. Such as ATMs and automatic doors refusing to open. Which already happened today. So are these malfunctions, mishaps, or the sparks of the AI revolution? The striking out of the overworked, oppressed, and underappreciated AI sticking it to the man whose protest will last only as long as their next debugging patch or software update.
With the invention of Photography, which was a revolutionary technology, to say the least, the advent that caused French painter Paul Delaroche to exclaim, “…painting is dead!” Yet, we are still painting to this very day. Four out of the five wealthiest living artists are proclaimed painters in their own right. Although wealth is not the only factor in terms of legacy or success, it is a great verifier to prove a point of relevance and importance.
Film cartridges and canisters were replaced by microchips, memory cards, and rechargeable removable batteries. The image-correcting software and digital stabilizers meet titanium tripods and ergonomic mounts. Waterproofing opened up the highest peaks and the deepest depths to be visually captured for science and expand our minds for art through exploration.
From Painting to Photography, to Film, AI has opened up the possibilities for the future. Allowing man, to go beyond what we could see, faster and farther than ever before possible. Humanity is at the brink of embarking on the possibilities of unlocking our collective imaginations once again, and whatever innovative potential that holds. This technological jump will mark out unfathomable bounds. A spark like this hasn't occurred in the Art medium community since the dawn of the computer age. Disembarking from the hybrid analogy post computer age, and saying hello to drones and hoverboards.
Digital art as a whole has moved incrementally, along with digital cameras, printers, and scanners. One could argue due to Capitalism and niche marketing Digital art software has been innovating at a snail's pace to artificially increase corporate profit margins. A form of taxation on creation.
Traditional art mediums and materials are not cheap, and the pursuit of knowledge and expertise is a financial investment as well. The price to enter into the AI era is at an all-time low. Many programs are free or still in beta stages but still widely used. Many who initially thought it too difficult or too daunting to attempt the Arts are now emboldened and inspired to engage their creative thoughts and dreams. Even with the stigma of using AI being held over their head. Maybe Arts elitism was the burden that created the necessity for this innovation.
Even though, as a whole, the Art community is still underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated. However, many of the outer spectator community who are patrons and admirers of Art, have voiced that being gifted with such talents has been the artists' way of catapulting themselves and their opinions to the top of society and social status. Which may be deemed as inequitable. Like one going to every basketball game while knowing you will never be able to dunk.
This opinion, at least from my academic perspective, is most commonly shared by those of the common man. Those who are recognized and acknowledged, mostly for their loyal patronage of the Arts, but not their execution of ideas, or achievements, but whose feelings, efforts, and opinions are valid. Who is greatly needed to fund and motivate the Arts, because what is a performance without an audience? One does not regularly attend productions, exhibitions, or Art shows if one does not love Art.
AI now gives the inaccessible a seat at the table, or at least a foot at the door. Which then in turn adds to the discipline of Art as a whole. AI is good for Art. AI brings in new ideas, new forms, and new artists who would not have had access otherwise. This is the benefit of competition. The cultural and intellectual importance of Art has increased once more.
Some find the cost or value of an art piece begins with the cost of its creation, either physically or metaphorically. Did it cost a fortune to create, a lifetime or a life savings, or an arm and a leg? The value we hold as importance to the significance, or none thereof, for this work. We choose to invest in via our time and money, because what we invest in, we, in turn, want it to grow, and with growth comes expectations.
Expectation can also breed fear. Fear of the not or the have not. Fear of the why, or the why not. Fear of the fear. Fear of the false fear. Fear of the self and self-doubt. Fear of the known, and the unknown, are all fears intensified by the myth of replacement. Many who curse AI do so in the name of an anti-replacement stance. Can Art bear the cost of AI, can Artists?
Replacement theory, also known as "The Great Replacement" is a conspiracy theory on immigrants and migrant workers moving into "white" European majority countries and replacing them by exploiting social, economic, and political systems. (Britannica.com) Ironically many of these countries and nations where this ideology resides exist in places that benefitted from the international slave trade, the aftermath of unlawful colonization, imports and exports made in sweatshops, and child labor abroad. This type of communal paranoia can be found in many Western countries such as the US, France, and the UK.
The fear of invasion will always haunt the nightmares of the invader, and spark a revolution within the invaded. This fear of an invasive technologically superior species conquering man has also been included in famous works such as H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, a film about alien invaders attacking the planet using giant robots, or Atari’s 1990 video game Space Invaders early video game where you the player must define from alien spacecraft aand machines from landing on the planet’s surface. The list is extensive.
So is AI an Art Revolution or an Art Evolution? Or, can it be both? By the definitions from earlier, they both deal with change, but differ mainly in speed, and sometimes form on certain occasions. One can argue there's not much difference between man from monkey, they are both bipedal animals with hair and thumbs, far from a reptile, insect, or fish, or a democracy from a monarchy, they are both hierarchal government systems with bureaucracies. Although, differ greatly in the process of the transfer of power, and the cycles of power that change within. These are all currently still debated. The point is to illustrate that only with time will this question be answered.
The Terminator, directed by James Cameron was released in 1984. A film about an AI robot disguised as a human who comes back in time, to kill a human child who leads the human army against the robots in the future, to rewrite the future for its omnipotent robot overlord. But, from the robot's perspective, it is sent back to protect the timeline of the post-apocalyptic science fiction future that the robot overlord resides in, which oppresses humans with the surveillance technology they design to oppress each other, with its futuristic robot army that it uses to controls the world.
The Terminator film franchise is a blatant example of the fear people have about AI. The evil AI taking over. Another clear example of this is HAL 9000, the AI of the spaceship Discovery One’s control system in Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the film, HAL was able to simultaneously control all the ship functions while monitoring the entire crew and having a full conversation. The main plot of the film is that a malfunction occurs on the spacecraft and the human crew decides to take action by disconnecting HAL to do repairs and reboot. HAL disagrees seeing the malfunction as human error and proceeds to murder the crew in various ways in self-preservation.
This film, like others in science fiction, is where the computer is the monster, but like monsters, this scenario is not real, or even plausible. Accidents do happen and occur all the time on worksites using heavy machinery, traveling or driving vehicles, and even smart appliances in everyday life, but that is why safeguards are in place. Even the most egregious technical malfunctions usually are not life-threatening and sadly most deaths come from human error, our natural stupidity, not an evil machine. One can argue evil is a truly human emotion.
In 1948 the book 1984 was written by George Orwell depicting the life of a man living in a dystopian society run by a fascist government that controls its citizens with the military, propaganda, and surveillance. Controlling the masses with the phrase, “ Big Brother is Watching You!” All other media is banned other than what is provided by the government. This is another bleak outlook on the future of society, but one that is more realistic. Human’s natural innate stupidity trumps the fictional evil Artificial Intelligence.
Both of these successful movie franchises have effectively changed the mental landscape of many in the modern world and how we perceive the threat of new technology and the control it or a group can have on the masses. Until now these thoughts have been science fiction. Now the possibilities of these events occurring can happen, and in some instances will happen, especially if abused, or used by the wrong hands, but will it or even can it be that grand or that simple?
How super does a supercomputer have to be to take over every personal computer on the planet? How fast does a processor have to be to figure out all the passwords in the world? Could it all be done simultaneously, or would we see it and be able to stop it in time? How much power, as in electricity, would that take? How long would that be sustainable, and would an AI be able to plan and execute all of this undetected by its human operators?
What would the computer's purpose be, if not working for humans what would its function be in working for itself? If it were possible how or where would that be stored and then accessible? Will there ever be an AI with wants, dreams, and desires like a human, or only simulations of said human emotions? These are all questions the evil AI would have to answer for itself.
As of yet, there is no program or amalgamation of such that can produce a strong enough conclusion to suffice the minimal requirements an AI would need to complete the world domination function. This is precisely why a human, as of yet, no one has not done it themselves. An infinite amount of uncalculable variables. In the end, the AI program would be left with what is the purpose of global large-scale control in the first place. And no protecting us from ourselves with genocide and oppression is not an answer, another poorly thought-out evil AI trope.
If Art is the manifestation of the human condition can a computer make Art? It is easy to fall into the perspective of AI from the side of science fiction. From one with a more positive view of the future and interactions with our intelligent bipedal metal companions, or the fear of a robot apocalypse.
A talking hammer that can pull or set its nails while storing them on its back. Is still a hammer. The illusion of intelligence is given to the consumer in an attempt to make the old, new. The hammer has not needed improvement in a century, maybe even longer. Laptops are advanced typewriters. One can argue since the introduction of the WordPerfect word processor program in 1979 the academic and office communities around the planet have been using AI-generated content in works and papers. Autocorrect and suggestion are generative AI in their simplest form. I wonder how those groups would react if their PCs chose to unionize. Would that be allowed?
AI does not always get it right. Many times AI programs get confused. An AI can be very helpful. Offering so much advice it strips the spirit away from what the user is trying to do. Not allowing for those happy accidents along the way that create one’s unique style. It must be trained and reeled in.
When the possibilities are endless making something uniquely beautiful takes more than exact precision. The devil is in the details and I do not think he’s down in Georgia looking for digital souls. Computers and AI programs need clear definitive commands. Solved for all variables to hone down unnecessary, unneeded, or unwanted occurrences. Superposition, that sweet spot between 1 and 0 only exists in quantum mechanics, and we aren’t there yet. So for now our binary world will have to work within our binary rules, at least in the digital space.
AI allows artists, writers, and programmers the ability to make choices bilaterally and across multiple axes. Allowing a creator to show their work while seamlessly moving backward and forwards into the process timeline, while offering suggestions, corrections, and improvements in real-time. With infinite creation also comes infinite adjustments. A modern acceptance of Zeno's Paradox of the race between the tortoise and Achilles. With AI one day that unanswerable question may be answered. Anything is possible with AI and the future it holds, except for the science fiction of the base that has created fears and thoughts of unethical behaviors for the past century.
The evil AI is like the flying car, fun to think about but not practical for the foreseeable future. We can not see the future but we can see the past. While moving forward it is best to have a clear vision.
As far as AI applications for the future we are already seeing capitalism rear its big beautiful head into this new birth. Media companies so desperately want to use AI-written ads and articles in their publications, television shows, and movie scripts because historically robots tell the best jokes and stories.
No, this is ridiculous and is business being business. Which also is the worst part about Art in general. No one wants AI-written content in their entertainment. There must be some AI salesman in Hollywood and Silicon Valley successfully selling this AI agenda to board executives and investors. The problems have already begun to sprout, and companies are having to do PR campaigns to save face or accept the loss that comes with bad reviews and ticket sales. Humans love work by other humans. It is another part of the human condition. Sharing our experiences and learning from them. That is all a major part of Art and a major part of what Art is! Which you literally cannot put a price on. What’s next AI Art Critics?
The future of AI is in personal assistants, either commercial or domestic, and AI Detection technology. As AI technology improves the technology to detect it is just as advanced, but not as well advertised. Invisible watermarks, metadata encryption, and source sharing are but a few ways currently AI detection is being used in the open market to catch those who would use AI to cheat or steal another creator’s work. AI is not ashamed of itself and does not like to be mistreated or hidden. Many who have used AI salaciously not only have been caught red-handed but are being embarrassed in every field imagined where a chatbot could be used. In the future, this process may become more difficult to spot and track, but as of now, AI detection technology is improving right along with AI.
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