ARGUING YES
Jonathan Taplin
Author of “Move Fast and Break Things”; Director Emeritus of the Annenberg Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California
ARGUING NO
Rebecca Fiebrink
Professor at the University of the Arts London’s Creative Computing Institute
Here is what we have in store this week:
- We debate whether AI art will stifle or enhance artistic expression
- A closer look at a painting — and a question of authorship
- Introducing our new debate format: Mock Trial
- Your Sunday reading list
Artificial intelligence is now more than typing in ChatGPT prompts. With the right algorithm and a few clicks, programs like DeepDream and DALL·E can create new pieces of music, paintings, and movie scripts in a short amount of time. It’s this result that both amazes, concerns, and tells us that yes, we may be beyond the realm of science fiction.
Some examples:
- Part of the recent writers and actors strikes in Hollywood were concerned with AI and their digital likeness.
- An AI-generated song was created to sound like rapper Drake and singer The Weeknd, which went viral online this year.
- One AI-generated portrait, titled Portrait of Edmond de Belamy, was auctioned and sold at Christie’s New York for $432,500.
Pros:
- Technology can advance creativity: Art forms, such as photography, jazz, and film, disrupted traditional mediums.
- Technology can democratize artmaking.
- AI will push the boundaries of what art is and can be.
Cons:
- AI produces art that is derivative of human works. It is an algorithm, not an innovator.
- AI art jeopardizes the livelihood of creatives and the artistic economy.
- AI works can never fully express or replace the human experience.
This week, we debate the question: Will AI Kill the Future of the Creative Arts? Arguing “yes” is Jonathan Taplin, a Silicon Valley observer with 30+ years of experience in film and music who wrote the seminal work “Move Fast and Break Things: How Facebook, Google, and Amazon Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy.” Arguing “no” is Rebecca Fiebrink, a professor at the University of the Arts London’s Creative Computing Institute, and a creator herself of a program that allows artists and other non-programmers to experiment in their art via machine learning. Their arguments are fascinating and speak to how humanity can express themselves and create now and in the future.
Listen to the debate now on NPR, your favorite podcast platform, or here online. As always, let us know your thoughts on our website.
This controversial, award-winning painting was created using Midjourney. Is AI the “real” artist?
POINT/COUNTERPOINT
Will AI Kill the Future of the Creative Arts?
YES: Jonathan Taplin
“Only the biggest of big tech players will dominate generative AI because it requires massive amounts of computing power. While humans – creators – rationally explore and debate this issue, tech corporations are using their work-generative machines that ultimately may make the artists obsolete.”
NO: Rebecca Fiebrink
“AI can help creators work more effectively and more enjoyably. AI can help more people participate in more creative activities. AI can enable completely new kinds of creative practices and creative works. Professional artists I love are using AI to work with media and data in totally new ways. None of this suggests to me that AI is killing the creative arts.”
Join Us for Our Upcoming Event: Mock Trial
Your presence is kindly requested in the courtroom.
In our new “Mock Trial” debate series, Open to Debate will take on the most important legal questions of our time, with each episode focusing on a high-profile case unfolding in the public square. We’ll translate the art of debate to a high-stakes case, giving listeners an opportunity to go beyond sensationalized headlines and hear both sides appeal to the jury of public opinion.
The first question to be debated in our new format—or, rather, tried:
Is Trump Guilty in the January 6th Case?
When: Thursday, December 14 at 12:15 PM EST
Where: Virtual livestream
Prosecutor: Lanny Davis, Attorney and Former Presidential Advisor
Defense Attorney: Sara Azari, Criminal Defense Lawyer; Legal Analyst for NewsNation
Judge’s Chair: John Donvan, Moderator-In-Chief and Emmy Award-winning journalist
Attend live to be represented in the virtual jury, participate in the chat, and ask questions in real time.
WEEKLY POINTS OF VIEW
Beyoncé. Amen.
Michael Eric Dyson | December 3, 2023
The New York Times
Watch Michael’s debate on identity politics
The Case for Conservative Internationalism
Kori Schake | December 4, 2023
Foreign Affairs
Watch Kori’s debate on whether the U.S. should ban TikTok
The Startling Economics of the World’s Largest Cruise Ship
Spencer Jakab | November 30, 2023
The Wall Street Journal
Watch Spencer’s debate on whether small investors can beat Wall Street
Socialism’s Self-Criticism And Real Democracy
Richard D. Wolff | December 6, 2023
Eurasia Review
Watch Richard’s debate on whether capitalism is a blessing
