Art is in the eye of the beholder, but a few Redditors felt that a recent post featuring artificial intelligence-generated images did not make the cut.
One user in the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit shared a picture they took in a Maryland mall gallery, which was selling prints of some beloved animated characters, sparking anger among the community for making a mockery of “real art.”
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While the technology has pushed the boundaries of what constitutes art and often results in humorous images, the ends do not justify the means when considering the ecological footprint of AI-generated images.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that AI-generated images are “by far the most energy- and carbon-intensive AI-based task.” According to the article, using an AI model to create 1,000 images produces the same amount of carbon dioxide pollution as driving an average gas-powered car 4.1 miles.
Furthermore, Forbes estimated that data centers will need 6.6 billion cubic meters of water to regulate temperatures by 2027. Luckily, researchers have devised creative solutions that can help curtail the energy and water footprints of data centers.
Though some commenters were indifferent to AI-based art and a few more defended it, the overwhelming majority expressed their outrage over the original post.
“How can people defend this incoherent garbage,” a person wrote.
“This isn’t a small issue, this can very well be the death of human-made art (i.e. real art), as creators and artists will keep getting squeezed out by cheaper, lower-quality, passionless, AI slop,” another user said.
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