Is AI Art Generation Ethical and Should My Business Use It?

This is a tough one and there are fierce arguments for both sides. Of course, plagiarism is bad on so many levels, and taking credit away from hardworking, talented artists is the worst. AI is like the Wild West right now with relatively no rules or guidelines. With just a few well-chosen words or images, almost anyone can recreate a master artist’s work digitally.

But is it all bad? Can it be fair and ethical? Some may argue it’s just the next step up in graphic design. Let’s break it down.

AI-Generated Image

What is AI art generation?

AI art generators use artificial intelligence to create images based on the data they receive. Using programmed algorithms and expansive neural networks, they learn the patterns and styles already used in existing art to create original pieces. In its most basic form, an AI generator will look at a dataset of information, search for a certain style or pattern of art, then generate a new image based on the filters provided. Image filters, lighting, camera lens settings, mood, and other parameters are added to hone the generated image further.

Different art generators use their own methods and algorithms so the results can vary by software.

Why would someone use AI-generated art?

AI can be used to create rough ideas or sketches of a final product. With its lightening fast speed, it is a way to quickly see if a concept works visually. A traditional or graphic artist may want to test different patterns or techniques to see which one may be incorporated into their own project.

AI-Generated Logo

AI is a natural at creating logos. With the ability to add words, thoughts, and emotions to describe branding, as well as a certain style or color, AI can generate a variety of logo options that do not exist anywhere else.

Also, business owners may need specific images for their websites and simply do not have the money or time to invest in professional photography and models. Yes, there are images available that may be royalty-free already, but it takes time to curate ones that are fairly suitable. With AI, a business owner can describe the exact scene, coloring, and lighting and have original options not used by any other website.

As a website designer and graphic artist, I am starting to use AI to quickly lay out ideas for clients so that their end product is closer to what they had in mind. This saves me time and helps the client stay within budget because it is now much easier to show a variety of options. Once the overall theme is chosen, I can then custom design the website or graphic image using the AI generated images as inspiration.

Is this cheating? I don’t believe it is in this case. Rather than hand sketching, creating original graphic art, or curating stock photos, then presenting idea after idea with emails going back and forth, I can quickly present a variety of options. The end result is the client gets an original website or graphic that better reflects their business and goals, usually in a fraction of the development time.

Why does AI have such a bad rap? It’s because of the abusers.

With the current AI generators, it is fairly easy to plagiarize or replicate work and, unfortunately, many are doing that without crediting the actual artist. With hope, this can be eradicated in the near future with rules and violations clearly spelled out and appropriate action taken when they are broken.

There is also a gray area where AI is getting its inspiration. Is the art generator scanning artwork that is not for public domain and using that to generate a new image? If so, is that ethical? Declaring yourself the artist is definitely unethical as you are profiting from other people’s work without their consent.

How will AI affect artists, photographers, graphic artists, or web designers?

AI-Generated Image

It is true that AI will take business away from artists, photographers, graphic artists, or web designers that spend their lifetimes honing their craft. AI is fast and cheap.

On the other hand, businesses have been using free stock images for years so the demand for original photos has decreased dramatically. Graphic designers now often use premade images, shapes and more now in their “original” work. Website design has changed dramatically over the years and businesses may choose to use premade templates. All of this is taking away from professionals who create original work.

I do believe there will always be a need for original work and the years experience shows in the final product. For example, please take a look at my website portfolio. These are all original websites using custom coding and enhanced SEO (but using the Squarespace platform for ease of maintenance by my clients). There were no cookie-cutter templates used.

I know of several photographers that are now starting to incorporate AI into their work and it is giving them more creative shots in much less time. A business will always need professional photos of their products. As of right now, this cannot be generated with AI. But some photographers are now laying out their backgrounds using AI first in order to see what will work best with that product photo. Lighting, style, colors, props and more can be added to a draft “photo shoot” easily and the photographer can then decide what will work best in the actual shoot.

Is AI art copyrighted?

This is yet another murky area. Should the company that created the generator be the rightful owner or should it be the individual who fed in the exact terms to create the image? Or, does it belong to the client who commissioned the work? There is still no clear answer but as of this writing, legal framework is still being developed.

Read the latest directly on the U.S. Copywriter Office website.

Should I use AI to generate images for my business?

AI-Generated Images

As it stands right now, this is a personal preference. There is no question that you should have intriguing images on your website. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Studies show that content with images gets over 90% more views than text alone. When was the last time you looked at a page of text and were intrigued to look again? The right picture can grab attention and draw someone in. Learn more about using the right images on your website here.

If your image is not replicating an existing artist’s work, then I do not see the harm. Although AI generators make the process fairly easy, the individual feeding the terms still needs to use some creativity and ideally some working knowledge of techniques, styles, photography terms, and more in order to generate that ideal image. The images here are not of any actual girl or dog. They were created using descriptive words and photography terms, then the generator created their unique features based on the description

If, however, the generated image is based on another’s work, then yes, there is an ethical problem. Even with accreditation, I feel it could be considered plagiarism. The only way I see around this is to ask permission and give credit to the artists where applicable.

Hopefully, in the near future, there will be rules that any use of copyrighted material compensates the artist or should not be used in any way.

In Summary

Using AI-generated art or images is a personal choice. I acknowledge that others may not share my opinion, but as a graphic designer and web designer, I am finding AI an exciting new chapter as long as it is used ethically. Credit needs to be given where due and AI should never be considered “original art”.

With over 35 years of experience in technology, marketing, and design, 5-star Google-rated Charlotte’s Web Designs, LLC offers everything you need to help your business to get to the next level. I am fast, small business budget-conscious, creative, and will be in your corner every step of the way.

Curious if AI is for you or need a custom website? Please contact me today for a free consultation.