What’s the deal with AI art?
Sunday afternoon, in an attempt to save time, I took pictures of the lists of winners at the Campbell County Fair. I used Google Lens to scan these photos, then I copied and pasted the text into a Google Doc.
Easy peasy, right? Well, yes and no.
Even though I saved a lot of time by not having to type out each individual name, there were dozens of names that I had to go back and correct because Google Lens had read them incorrectly.
There were 300 to 400 names, and I had to painstakingly go through every single one to fix Big Tech’s mistake. By the end of the whole ordeal, I’m not sure if it was worth it. The old adage “measure twice, cut once” comes to mind.
AI has its place. Researchers and scientists are doing some great things with artificial intelligence.
But big corporations are pushing AI down people’s throats, implementing it in platforms that nobody asked for.
And generative AI, the slop that plagues your Facebook feeds, the stuff that the White House likes to put out on social media, benefits no one. It’s ironic that a lot of the people who eat this stuff up are the same people who like to ridicule younger generations for being lazy.
It doesn’t get much lazier than using AI to generate art.
I don’t know how many AI-generated American flags I’ve seen on the internet. It’s pretty easy to spot, as these flags don’t have the correct number of stars. It’s pretty disrespectful, in my opinion, and anyone who uses these false flags should not call themselves patriots.
Using AI to create “art” defeats the whole purpose of art. It’s got no soul — and I’m not talking about gingers or Coldplay’s music. It’s devoid of any inspiration. And none of it looks good. There’s a reason why the Internet has taken to calling it “AI slop.”
People who don’t appreciate art will fall for it. And it has the potential to only get worse from here.
At the Ohio State Fair last month, an AI-generated poster won first place, which upset quite a few people.
Thankfully, as I was walking through the Campbell County Fair and looking at people’s 4-H projects, I didn’t see anything that screamed AI to me. Cakes, woodworking projects, dresses, animals made from knitting and crocheting, an American flag made out of shotgun shells, the list goes on. Pieces of art that were made by Campbell County hands. It was refreshing to see.
Wyoming — and the United States, for that matter — got to where it is today because of hard work. This state and country were built on the blood, sweat and tears of millions of people, not from prompts typed into a computer.
Ensure These Stories Are Told
Despite the challenges facing independent local journalism, what sustains us — and fills us with deep gratitude — is the loyal support of readers who believe our communities deserve accurate, trusted, and locally rooted news.
It is no exaggeration to say that we are here because of you. Every story we report, every local issue we follow, every public meeting we cover, and every community voice we lift up is made possible by readers who understand the value of an independent newspaper.
Your support does more than fund articles. It helps protect the independence that allows us to report honestly, ask important questions, and keep our community informed without fear or favor.
If you are able, please consider supporting the News Letter Journal by donating to our Unabridged Fund today. Whether your gift helps cover reporting time, printing costs, video, photography, editing, or distribution, every contribution helps keep local journalism strong in Wyoming.
All gifts are deeply appreciated. Your support helps ensure that local stories continue to be told, local decisions continue to be watched, and local voices continue to be heard.
Thank you for standing with independent community journalism.