Seven Ways to Ask, “Is AI Art Really Art?”

Chris Ferrie
13 min readApr 30, 2024

The question of whether AI-generated art can truly be considered “art” is not new. Algorithmic art, at least in its digital form, has been around for decades. What’s new is that generative AI (most famously, DALL-E) is capable of producing highly complex and nuanced artworks that challenge traditional notions of creativity and the role of the artist. This technological leap has fueled both enthusiasm and skepticism, often accompanied by hype and sensationalism that sometimes overshadows a deeper understanding of the technology’s artistic and cultural implications.

“Is it truly art?” is a question that’s asked every time a new art form arises, the acceptance of which depends greatly on perspective. Let’s explore them all.

Philosophical perspective

From a philosophical perspective, art is considered a manifestation of human experience, emotion, and creativity, derived from the artist’s intentionality and consciousness. This raises the philosophical question: can art created without consciousness still be considered true art?

Painting by Ruby (an actual elephant).

Indeed, this question has been asked before, particularly in discussions about animal-made…

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Chris Ferrie
Chris Ferrie

Written by Chris Ferrie

Quantum theorist by day, father by night. Occasionally moonlighting as a author. csferrie.com

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