Tribune News Network
Doha
In a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is permeating every facet of our lives, the intersection of AI and art has emerged as a thought-provoking area – from ethical aspects to copyright issues.
This fusion of creativity and technology, according to Basma Hamdy, from Qatar Foundation partner university Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), has captivated the imagination of creators and scholars alike, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforming the creative landscape and challenging conventional notions of artistry and originality.
“I think AI has taken the world by storm in every discipline and in every space. There is a conversation about how AI is modifying or affecting industries, and art is no exception,” says Hamdy, an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at VCUarts Qatar, whose work bridges historical, political, and social issues with critical mechanisms.
One of the key ethical questions in this domain relates to the use of AI tools like ChatGPT in artistic endeavours, to which Hamdy responds: “The area of ethics and AI is still developing.
“We need to start asking about what the ethical building blocks of our world today are. Is it optimisation, is it consumption, or is it looking more at the ethical components of constantly questioning why we’re doing things, and trying to improve the lives of the average person?”
As Hamdy says, when a 15-year-old thinks about AI, they may be thinking that they can use ChatGPT to help them with their homework. When somebody is thinking about AI and its role in art, the ethical considerations and associated challenges are similar.
Hamdy encourages students and consumers to think about “what is the intellectual property; what is ownership; what is originality?”. If someone is creating an art piece using ChatGPT or some other AI tool, the question is whether it can be considered to be original – and who gets the credit as its creator? Is all this cheating?
“The answer is both yes and no,” she says.
This ethical conundrum echoes throughout art history; Hamdy highlights that even celebrated artists like Pablo Picasso appropriated and borrowed from different cultures. “I think we just have to see it from a different lens,” she says. “So instead of trying to apply the same principles that we have applied in a world pre-AI to a world that’s post-AI, we need to reframe the narrative. We need to think more about intellectual property and who created the art.”
Hamdy says that, like everything in life, navigating the ethical landscape in AI and art also requires a personal moral compass: “You don’t have to necessarily refer to the dictionary of world ethics; you have your own moral compass – you know what is right and wrong, and you can tell when it doesn’t sit right with you.” This nuanced approach acknowledges that there are grey areas while promoting responsible use of AI in the creative process.
Institutions like VCUarts Qatar are taking proactive steps to guide students and educators in utilising AI wisely. “At VCUarts Qatar and in Education City, there are workshops aimed at educating students and professors on how to use this technology wisely,” Hamdy says, explaining that these initiatives foster a generation of creators who are not only proficient in AI tools but also well-versed in ethical considerations.
On a wider scale, Qatar Foundation and Qatar Museums are championing the integration of AI into educational and cultural spaces. Hamdy highlights the National Museum of Qatar’s AI digital centre in collaboration with Microsoft that is designed to engage the younger generation. She underlines the importance of educating the younger generation because “they are going to be the future algorithm writers and coders that are going to influence AI later on.”
Looking to the future, Hamdy envisions a world where AI relieves humanity of mundane tasks, allowing us to explore deeper questions. “I think it’s a point in time where we’re examining our own histories and really looking closely at that 20th Century development,” she says. “The 20th Century was marked by industrialization, capitalism, competition, and power dynamics.
“In contrast, the future promises a shift towards productivity and collaboration, facilitated by AI’s efficiency.”
