Will Midjourney Replace Artists?

Introduction

Art is an integral part of our everyday life. We might not notice it in our everyday life– Between all these stressful moments, tasks, and our never-ending to-do lists. But we are surrounded by art. Artists have always made our life so much more bearable. Art is a common language of the whole world that brings feelings, thoughts, and imaginations into life in different forms. Bots and artificial intelligence tools are made by human beings. It doesn’t matter how “amazing” things it can do; it can never replace an actual human who is specialized in something and has feelings, independent thoughts, and ideas. 

Although many people are arguing on this matter, I will share my thoughts and findings in this blog. By the end of reading this article, you will hopefully find out if AI is going to replace artists or not.

Will AI replace artists?

With the rise of technology, the art world is becoming increasingly digitized. Artists are humans, and they have an intrinsic value. They can bring a unique perspective to any project or task. With the rise of AI, there is a need for more transparency in the creative process, which is why companies prefer to hire graphic designers for more original work. Let alone art lovers who value different techniques that follow the world of artists are eager to learn more about contemporary artists and their styles. 

To be fair enough, AI-powered image generators like Midjourney are known to be fast. Mainly, how fast they can produce the “image prompt” makes people wonder. Secondly, their machine learning systems are just aware of some ‘concepts,’ and it’s not like they’re always error-free! All it takes is a Google search to review people’s experiences using Midjourney without getting their expected results. In my opinion, AI-generated art has no soul. It’s great, but you feel the lack of soul and spirit when you look at it. It’s very different from looking at artworks that a real human artist has created. 

On the other hand, we’re all human. It can occur to an artist that experiences writer’s block at times. Since they need to be in a particular mood to be able to create art, it’s not like they are an art-generating factory. So there’s nothing to compare between an artificial intelligence tool trained by many artworks and images and an artist with an authentic taste, style, technique, soul, unique mindset, and a full of fresh ideas. Regarding this matter, basically, two things that are different essentially can’t be compared to each other. We can build a list of their pros and cons, but they can never replace each other. Logic, right?

Does Artstation allow AI art?

Artstation is a platform for artists to create, share and sell their art. It also provides tools to manage their art portfolios and create digital works. The platform provides artists with an easy way to organize and publish their work. It is a unique tool that allows artists to upload, edit and share their artwork on the web. Well, does Artstaion allow AI-generated as one of the most significant art platforms? The answer is yes. Even though many artists fought for their rights against not allowing AI art on the platform, in December 2022, Artstation officially declared that it allows AI art since then. It was a big shock for the artists’ community that didn’t want this to happen. Alongside this, many people now use AI tools to create unique and innovative pieces that challenge traditional art forms. ArtStation recognizes the growing trend of AI art and welcomes this form of creative expression on its platform. As a result, artists and illustrators can share their AI-generated art with a global community of art enthusiasts, collectors, and potential clients. 

Does Midjourney steal art?

First of all, how does Midjourney work? Midjourney is like a big robot with thousands of concepts and how they look in its head, and when you write a text prompt, it can use its knowledge to create the unique images you’ve been looking for. In other words, with its great image data knowledge, the machine learning algorithm allows it to convert text prompts, including parameters, details, and visions, into several images–as many as you want! Imagine: When it has many pictures of what a mouse, a water bottle, and pop art look like, it can definitely put its knowledge together to turn the prompt ‘a mouse drinking a water bottle pop art style’ into images. It all makes sense now, right? 😊

Well, as I found out, Mr. Midjourney had a training phase where he used many different artworks, images, photos, and pictures to become more intelligent. During this phase, this guy used many paintings to learn what a definite style, technique, or method looks like so it can perform like that. In this case, many artists have actually sued AI-powered art generators like Midjourney because it has used their artworks with no permissions, credits, or copyrights. That’s where things become inappropriate. Although there are some Midjourney copyright rules, at the end of the day, something doesn’t feel right. Maybe it’s just me… How about you? However, it is a strong and utterly legal platform millions of people love using worldwide. 

Is art doomed?

Art and art pieces are a part of our lives. They are not only about aesthetics but also the creative process and expression.

Art is not dead or doomed; it is just being reinvented. It has been around for thousands of years, and it will be around for thousands more. However, the way we use it today is changing dramatically. After all, this is us, humans, that choose not to be defeated by AI tools and stand for our rights, and believe in our limitless powers. You know… With no Piet Mondrian, no Midjourney could generate an image in the way of the original icon! Art is not something that only exists in galleries and museums. With no artists, our life would become completely bland. It’s meaningless to live a life where robots make art that doesn’t matter how “original” it might look, can never feel original. The accessibility of art is another reason that might make you feel like it’s going nowhere. When art is accessible to everyone, it’s more likely to stay alive and be created repeatedly. In my opinion, humans’ connection with art should start from childhood. When you actually grow up with the purest form of self-expression, it’s more likely to understand its true value and stand for it no matter what.

Conclusion

Art is not only limited to painting and illustration. It’s also expressed through music, literature, cinema, and even science. While the Midjourney AI tool has shown remarkable potential in generating visually impressive and aesthetically pleasing artwork, it is unlikely that it will completely replace human artists any time soon. While AI-generated art may be able to replicate certain styles and techniques, it lacks the emotional depth and creative spark that only a human artist can provide. Moreover, the act of creating art is not solely about the final product but also about the process and the human experience of creating. Therefore, it is more likely that AI tools like Midjourney will be used in collaboration with human artists, serving as a source of inspiration and a tool for exploring new creative possibilities. Ultimately, the relationship between AI and human artists is evolving, and it will be interesting to see how it develops and shapes the future of art.