In a surprising revelation, the CEO of AI art-generating program Midjourney, David Holz, has been discovered to have trained the algorithm on the work of Magic: The Gathering artists. The disclosure came to light when artist Reid Southern posted screenshots of conversations on Midjourney’s Discord server, showcasing Holz’s admission. According to Holz, the program utilized the artwork of Magic artists to create “huge swaths of MTG cards” during its initial testing phase. These cards were then used as references for the AI to generate art based on specific prompts.
This revelation adds fuel to the ongoing lawsuit against Midjourney, along with DeviantArt and Stability AI. The lawsuit, representing artists Sarah Andersen, Kelly McKernan, and Karla Ortiz, alleges that AI-generated art is built on copyrighted work without proper authorization. The list of over 4,700 artists whose work has allegedly been scraped by Midjourney supports the plaintiffs’ claims.
Unfortunately, this controversy is not an isolated incident. More and more corporations are embracing AI-generated art instead of commissioning human artists, leading to concerns about copyright infringement and stolen creativity. In the video game industry alone, major players like Xbox, Assassin’s Creed, Fallout, and Pokemon Go have faced backlash for utilizing AI art or promotional materials instead of hiring human artists.
The main driving force behind this shift is cost-cutting. AI is substantially cheaper than hiring human artists or writers, making it an appealing choice for corporations looking to reduce expenses. However, this choice comes at the expense of creativity and respect for the hard work done by artists over the years.
As the controversy surrounding AI-generated art continues to grow, it raises important questions about copyright, ownership, and the value we place on artistic expression. It is clear that a balance needs to be struck between the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of AI and the ethical treatment of artists. Only through open dialogue and collaboration can we ensure that AI is used responsibly and respects the contributions of human creatives.
The source of the article is from the blog rugbynews.at