4 ms·

Culture is made of humans, and generative AI can't change that

5 points by mrcgnc 3y ago

DevKoala 3y ago
Is it thought? I feel that a lot of our culture is driven today by recommendation algorithms.
- jaredcwhite 3y ago
  It's incredibly transitive and illusory. Right before I left Twitter (now X) last year as Elon took over, I was deep in the throes of "main character" syndrome and this & that controversy and some latest bit of gossip or outrage and whatnot. After leaving…well, it's astounding how little any of that really has an effect on me or anyone else I can think of. Throughout history, there are quick cultural flashpoints, sure…but most of the time the really good stuff is a slow burn, a simmer. It eventually rises to the top, but casually, organically. Most "overnight" successes are 5, 10, 20 years in the making. Algorithms are a poor, poor substitute for IRL curation.
krapp 3y ago
No one is arguing that generative AI will " instantly receive widespread interest and reverence." Although the best of it is already interesting and evocative. What's being argued is that the capitalists who control the industry of art will force it on consumers. Which is already happening - AI is being used to generate everything from game assets to product photos to movie trailers whether you like it or not. This is not about culture in the ephemeral sense, and I really wish AI opponents would stop framing their arguments that way, because it does not matter. The "inherent humanity" and "je ne sais quoi" of "true art" speaking to "fundamental human experience" is not relevant to this conversation. 99% of the art people encounter in their lives is not a profound expression of a soul bleeding onto canvas, it's a means created by a corporation of selling a product. Culture is already machine generated. It already comes out of a box. People will learn to accept AI generated media for the simple reason that corporations will normalize it and create the push to make it trend through influence and social media. They already control your reality. Yes, people will still value human generated art but when all of it is pushed to the fringe, what does that matter?

5 points by mrcgnc 3y ago

DevKoala 3y ago

Is it thought? I feel that a lot of our culture is driven today by recommendation algorithms.

jaredcwhite 3y ago
It's incredibly transitive and illusory. Right before I left Twitter (now X) last year as Elon took over, I was deep in the throes of "main character" syndrome and this & that controversy and some latest bit of gossip or outrage and whatnot. After leaving…well, it's astounding how little any of that really has an effect on me or anyone else I can think of. Throughout history, there are quick cultural flashpoints, sure…but most of the time the really good stuff is a slow burn, a simmer. It eventually rises to the top, but casually, organically. Most "overnight" successes are 5, 10, 20 years in the making. Algorithms are a poor, poor substitute for IRL curation.

krapp 3y ago

No one is arguing that generative AI will " instantly receive widespread interest and reverence." Although the best of it is already interesting and evocative. What's being argued is that the capitalists who control the industry of art will force it on consumers. Which is already happening - AI is being used to generate everything from game assets to product photos to movie trailers whether you like it or not. This is not about culture in the ephemeral sense, and I really wish AI opponents would stop framing their arguments that way, because it does not matter. The "inherent humanity" and "je ne sais quoi" of "true art" speaking to "fundamental human experience" is not relevant to this conversation. 99% of the art people encounter in their lives is not a profound expression of a soul bleeding onto canvas, it's a means created by a corporation of selling a product. Culture is already machine generated. It already comes out of a box. People will learn to accept AI generated media for the simple reason that corporations will normalize it and create the push to make it trend through influence and social media. They already control your reality. Yes, people will still value human generated art but when all of it is pushed to the fringe, what does that matter?