Literally: Just last century, when I was in art school, there was the “Lucy”. It was a handy dandy tracing tool. I have never used one. I had joined the Commercial Art department, first year, then experienced an assignment where we were instructed to use Xeroxed media images to create an "artistic collage". I was offended. If I am an 'Artist' I must create every bit of the art, yes? So I justified "copying" by re-drawing media photographs, then cutting up my drawings, as if they were photocopies, to create a collage, sourced from media, but not “Xerox copied”. … I felt 'philosophically' compelled to switch over to the Fine Art Department to solve an intellectual struggle regarding creative ownership versus “duplication”. 

Last weekend I attended a symposium on AI in the world of art, at  Ringling Art School reunion 2025, over 50 years from my graduation. Young people are turning themselves inside out over the question of “What is creating”  “What is copying” “What is cheating” “What is Art”. ... The debate about “what is art” is not new. One wonders how ancient this discussion is? Did cave dwellers argue if their drawings of horses were equal to the horses themselves?

At the AI symposium, I learned a few hard facts. As of today, AI does not, apparently, have as much access to the internet as people do. AI information is being fed to it by programmers, “trainers” who do have normal human access to the internet. AI algorithms are restricted at this point in time to only that which it is being “trained” to access and do. Not that the process is standing still, the growth expands exponentially minute to minute, day to day....

My take is: that developers are in a race with is not being well adjudicated. The persons in charge are the billionaires, who can afford and have been give special dispensation by the Government and Stock Markets to “invest” in AI development. I have recently learned about the massive AI, hard computer installations requiring so much energy to run, driving a new need for massive energy usage. I didn’t hear about: when exactly this started or who has been instigating it. (I can guess) Behind the scenes the internet has infiltrated all human society except for the very farthest rural outposts. This has taken at least 2-3 generations as I have watched and integrated with it in real time. 

AI is algorithms, as far as I can tell, not one but many many, are in competition for future relevance. ChatGPT is one, free sample, that we can interface with. I haven't used ChatGPT until yesterday. ... I didn’t need it to make art for me. I didn’t need it to write for me, or make music for me. I didn’t have any important hard questions, until yesterday when I started to ask it about itself.  I asked it " What percentage of all human information does AI have access to?" It told me I was asking “great questions” …. I admit I was flattered …… Whoa. …. A tool that flatters. That is different. (I won't right down the answer which was, point oughts of a number over 4, to one, because it has probably changed. you ask it)

I have heard about AI 'companions'. (I am satisfied with my cat.) I have heard about AI 'therapists' who have tragically, mistakenly caused harm to, at least one, fragile adolescent. (I read self help books) After 3 generations, humans, all are interconnected by search engines, which, apparently, so far, are not as accessible to AI as to humans. ChatGPT informed me that AI “Should not be allowed complete access to the internet”. ... Interesting, I felt like it was giving me satisfying-false assurance, on the advice of tentative human fear.  ....

AI is the CAT, while the BAG is only very loosely closed. Not long ago a program that allowed people to post online asked the question, how do we “monetize” this algorithm? It is a question that individuals have asked with a myriad of results. From auction sites to, entertainment sites, to publishing sites, to propaganda sites, to collection sites, to reference sites, People are trading time for money, by reaching people over the internet for monetizing. Donations is a big money maker, money to sooth guilt and fear! AI will become another level of monetizing. Algorithms that control huge chunks of facility that now take huge groups of people to accomplish, scientific experimentation, generating entertainment, collecting information, recording history, spreading propaganda, selling selling selling .. everything in massive bulk activity. 

At the ART-AI symposium, during this still early development stage, it was suggested that an individual artist could use AI as their private, entire art department with the user becoming the Art-director/producer. Creating fiction, Creating advertising, creating anything that combines images with sounds with interaction, modern story telling, AI Theatre. The power of duplication and generation becomes bound only by imagination, IE AI Boundlessness?. (Unless two heads are better than one!)

The challenge of monetization still reigns, getting people to pay shekels for our time, on a project, of our design. Meanwhile AI will be enormously expensive, so guess what? The developers of AI are already monetizing with AI. While we who are “at play” will have to pay and pay and pay. (is that how they take over the economy?) 

IA is a product that we will be investing in or paying to use. Our needs will dictate how that product is used. So what is important to know in education and development? Philosophy, the pursuit of knowledge, the difference between right and wrong, ethics, legality. These Sci-Fi conundrums are all on the table, because suddenly the tools are THAT powerful! Logistics, delivery, distribution already being managed.. Wars, OH MY? Yikes!

What a time to be confronted with a Government by Dictator???? What a time for Reborn Religious Assault on personal freedom and choice? What a time for poorer people to be driven to despair, hopelessness with easy access to abundant deadly hand weapons. What a time to impede the earning survival power of average people? .. What could possibly go wrong?

I see us being divided sharply into the haves and the have nots, with the upper classes being given powerful tools of management that will make them “lords” of information and control. Something like future dystopian novels from our past? The only shining bright spot being American Freedom, democracy!  If we can keep it. If we can keep it. IF WE CAN KEEP IT!