Scrutiny of A.I. CG

[InfiniTales]

Serious question: I wasn't around when the use of Daz3D emerged here. Was there ever a time when all of those images were as scrutinized as any and all AI art currently is?

I mean... it looks like the slightest whiff of A.I. is enough to trigger a "spot the errors" contest. Daz3D has been around for years, yet still today many of those images keep having glaring issues like loose clothes always sticking to breasts as if they're tight corset underwear.

I saw a post on a new game with traditional art, clearly hand drawn. All kudos to the artist and their effort, but in one image I saw errors that would instantly trigger a bunch of comments if it'd been A.I. generated.

Sure, of course, AI has it own challenges like hands and extra limbs. But how or why is that so different of the challenges like the one in Daz3D? I see comments on AI art like, "There's little variation, all faces look the same except hair and colour". Um... How many things posted here can't instantly be recognized as Illusion assets or a (only slightly tweaked) popular Daz model?

I'm genuinely confused. To me, A.I. image generation looks like a bigger revolution than 3D was, back in the day. There's teething pains, but just look at where it's at today compared to just a year ago. I'd expect great enthusiasm instead of passionate hate for an emerging tool that opens up so many new possibilities.

 

[Doorknob22]

Scrutinizing AI graphics is a trend. It will pass.

 

[Droid Productions]

I'm genuinely confused. To me, A.I. image generation looks like a bigger revolution than 3D was, back in the day. There's teething pains, but just look at where it's at today compared to just a year ago. I'd expect great enthusiasm instead of passionate hate for an emerging tool that opens up so many new possibilities.

You're seeing a bunch of artists (or people who follow/are friends of aritsts) panicking. I don't think they should be doing it; it'll become a tool like anything else.

I was talking to Chase (we work together at Flexible Media) about this; he's an old bastard, and he was talking about a similar hatred and movement against 3D modelling software when he started in the games industry (~30 years ago), so this was the first generation of 3D Studio Max, Lightwave and Alias/Wavefront.

For a lot of existing artists in the industry, these newfangled 'mice jockeys' weren't real artists, not like the people who drew properly, like god intended, with pencil and grease paper. There was a lot of hatred against them.

Obviously this has since passed, and we can celebrate both 2D and 3D art (but not that terrible AI art). My guess is what's going to happen is this gets properly integrated into the artists workflow, and we get used to it. AI background removal is already 100x better than "magic selection", we're starting to see generative AI sneak into

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). I suspect by the time that becomes common in use (or someone else eats

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) we'll hear less about how terrible AI art is.

Apart from that, the most interesting thing that's come out of it is how creatives from other parts of the industry can innovate. I think this video from the Corridor Crew is my favorite:


It's a far way from perfect, but it's a fascinating look at how this stuff can help change things.

 

[MarshmallowCasserole]

Was there ever a time when all of those images were as scrutinized as any and all AI art currently is?

There wasn't for me... because I can't stand them to this day lol. DAZ = trash, no scrutiny required. Seriously uncanny shit. And I'm not alone in this attitude, I know this for a fact. Illusion studio games do look very similar, and therefore pretty boring, but at least they are stylized enough to be out of uncanny valley.

Likewise, where AI errors crop up, it's nightmare fuel more often than not. That's currently the issue. With hand-made art the errors are less... creepy.

There's no denying that generative AI is a revolution. But don't expect me to praise it before its teething issues are gone.

 

[InfiniTales]

There's no denying that generative AI is a revolution. But don't expect me to praise it before its teething issues are gone.

Fair enough. =)

 

[InfiniTales]

For a lot of existing artists in the industry, these newfangled 'mice jockeys' weren't real artists, not like the people who drew properly, like god intended, with pencil and grease paper. There was a lot of hatred against them.

Elsewhere here, I compared this to the reactions when photography was introduced (to clarify, I wasn't around. I'm not that old. lol).

Even if AI image generation never gets past it's current issues and challenges (extremely unlikely), one thing I have already decided for myself: it is A-MA-ZING as a source of inspiration! The things it comes up with are just mindblowing.

 

[SamuelRegios]

I see AI as a tool that more artists should be using not only to gain inspiration but to help learn various skills from posing to shading.

I honestly think that if AI art programs were used in schools to help teach students certain artistic pitfalls to watch out for and how to help diversify their own styles AI would see a bit more praise.

 

[InfiniTales]

I have little doubt that not before long there will be dedicated A.I. media generation study programmes in schools. Probably after a major software industry giant can dig their greedy fingers deep enough into it and sees the commercial benefit of brainwashing future school generations into using their expensive bloatware.

Many A.I. tools today are Free and Open Source, can't have students use those in schools, the horror!

 

[Meaning Less]

If anything I would argue the issue is the opposite, people are just overhyping AI right now, that's the actual wave that should pass.

I agree some hate is undeserved but it is mainly result of equally undeserved praise, once one dies out the other goes with it.

Don't take me wrong.
It is just another tool, and like any tool when properly used it can help, but when improperly used it can be clunky and damage your results as well.

Some people are being promised a lot by others hyping it, then they get extra disappointed once they realize the results don't match the hype.

 

[InfiniTales]

Yeah, like any tool, one needs to learn how to use it. It's not a magic "one quick and easy do-it-all", and most definitely not in it's current state.

The disappointment may most of all be that results that match the hype cannot be obtained without investing plenty of time and effort to learn. And even then, the A.I. still won't do much if you lack the imagination and creativity to direct it.