AI art is everywhere but it can never compete with human creativity
BBC Science Focus|June 2023
Alex Hughes speaks to Prof Ahmed Elgammal, an expert in artificial intelligence to learn more about the rise of art made by AI
Alex Hughes
AI art is everywhere but it can never compete with human creativity

As artificial intelligence (AI) improves, artists are finding themselves in unprecedented territory. Realistic images are being made in seconds; millions of them are created each day; and the images are being entered into and winning art competitions. But none of them are being made by humans.

We spoke to Ahmed Elgammal a professor of computer science at Rutgers University to find out about the rise of AI art and what it means for human creativity in the digital era.

HOW DO AI IMAGE GENERATORS WORK?

Five years ago, there was an advancement in AI known as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). It took images and tried to generate similar results. Give it images of cats and it would return completely new versions to match. This was revolutionary and many artists started using it. Then came a newer generation that used text to generate images to give more control over what was being generated. This worked by training the model on lots of images and their accompanying text caption to understand how the words relate to the images. So in an image of a bird on a tree, the AI guesses where the tree and bird are and the network tells it if it’s correct. By doing that for billions of images, the AI figures out what words relate to what images.

WHY DO THESE AI MODELS STRUGGLE WITH COMPLICATED SHAPES?

Bu hikaye BBC Science Focus dergisinin June 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye BBC Science Focus dergisinin June 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

BBC SCIENCE FOCUS DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
BBC Science Focus

COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?

The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
BBC Science Focus

IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?

A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
BBC Science Focus

WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?

The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.

time-read
2 dak  |
November 2024
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
BBC Science Focus

WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?

The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
BBC Science Focus

HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?

Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.

time-read
2 dak  |
November 2024
THE LUNGFISH
BBC Science Focus

THE LUNGFISH

In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.

time-read
2 dak  |
November 2024
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
BBC Science Focus

ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?

The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.

time-read
2 dak  |
November 2024
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
BBC Science Focus

Should we scrap daylight saving time?

Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health

time-read
5 dak  |
November 2024
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
BBC Science Focus

THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS

SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS

time-read
8 dak  |
November 2024
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
BBC Science Focus

MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION

The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?

time-read
10 dak  |
November 2024