Is art still art without humanity? Can artificial intelligence create emotionally moving work? Is AI a useful tool for filmmakers or a cheap way out?
UNC students and Greeley residents expressed mixed opinions on AI and whether or not it can be used ethically in the creation of art.
“I personally think it’s unfortunate how prevalent it’s become,” said Greeley resident Lauren Hamilton. “A lot of the beauty of art is that it is human.”
Others found AI art to hold creative potential.
“I think it’s a fun new way to express someone’s self through art,” said Jeremy Rodriguez, an on-campus employee at the University Center. “It’s cheaper and more efficient.”
Some UNC students did not know just how far AI art has come.
“All I’ve seen about it is like funny things where people give it crazy things to make an image about,” said Zoe Kilimann, a junior at UNC.
While AI art has been making the rounds for some time, its use in filmmaking is relatively new. Last year, the horror film “Late Night with the Devil” amassed controversy concerning its use of three images that had been created with the assistance of AI. The filmmakers said the images had been edited beyond the AI generation, but the use of AI imagery led some to question whether human artists were losing work to machines.
“I would say spend the money for a human artist who could do a better job,” Hamilton said.
A more recent controversy involves the Oscar-nominated film “The Brutalist.” The film, which focuses on a Hungarian architect, utilized AI tools to enhance Hungarian dialogue spoken by actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones. The film’s editor, Dávid Jancsó, said that they “were very careful about keeping their performances,” but the choice has still received backlash.
Greeley residents were more supportive of the choice.
“It’s not like an original art piece,” said Jacquelyn Higinbotham-Vangraefschepe, an assistant manager at Cinemark. “It’s just enhancing the lines.”
Others felt the filmmakers could have explored alternative ways of achieving the same effect.
“If they’re going to put in the effort to do that, just have the actor work on their Hungarian accent a little more,” Hamilton said.
While AI remains fresh to the filmmaking scene, it is clear that Greeley residents and UNC students value the humanity of the arts, something that an algorithm cannot generate.
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