The Development of Generative Artificial Intelligence as a Tool in the Today’s Art

Abstract

Currently, one of the main issues within the philosophy of art lies in the openness that contemporary art has adopted. This propositional freedom —rather than merely creative—has expanded artistic standards to the point of establishing the possibility that anything can be considered a work of art. However, it is important to acknowledge that modern art remains relevant. Works are still being created that follow traditional plastic structures, with defined techniques and subjective, aesthetic, and sensory connotations. Amid this hybrid panorama, artificial intelligence has begun to play a significant role. In the absence of a unified critical system within the field of art, some patrons and gallery owners have taken advantage of this ambiguity to generate names, signatures, and prices around works of questionable authorship or manufacture. This phenomenon represents only one of the many ways in which artificial intelligence is being integrated into the artistic domain. Its emergence has thus become one of the most debated topics in contemporary art theory and philosophy. This paper is structured around two main approaches. The first consists of a comparative study between works generated through new technologies and others produced before this decade that have stood out for their craftsmanship, conceptual proposal, or controversy. The second approach focuses on the analysis of the use of artistic tools and their ethical implications. It examines both the shortcuts adopted by some artists —such as the use of workshops and external labor— and the current use of digital applications. Based on both studies, a critical assessment is developed regarding the so-called contribution of artistic innovation supported by new digital and robotic technologies.