AI on the Artist’s Palette
Digest
Nitrice Gaskins, a professor, cultural critic, and digital artist, joins the "How to Fix the Internet" podcast to discuss her work using generative AI and its connection to remix culture. She argues that generative AI is a natural extension of remixing practices found in hip-hop and collage, where artists combine existing elements to create something new. Gaskins highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in AI development, pointing out the historical biases present in AI systems and the need for more inclusive training data. She shares her own experiences using generative AI to create art that reflects her cultural background and challenges existing representations. Gaskins emphasizes the importance of artistic intention and process, arguing that generative AI is not simply about hitting a button but about thoughtful experimentation and iteration. The conversation explores the potential of generative AI for liberation and creative expression, while acknowledging the challenges of bias and the need for greater equity in access to these tools.
Outlines
Remixing and Innovation
This Chapter explores the concept of remixing and innovation, drawing parallels between generative AI and traditional art forms like hip-hop and collage. Nitrice Gaskins, a digital artist and cultural critic, argues that generative AI is a tool for combining existing elements to create something new, similar to how artists in various cultures have historically used limited resources to create innovative works.
The Artistic Process of Generative AI
This Chapter delves into the artistic process of using generative AI. Nitrice Gaskins explains how her background in art and color theory informs her prompts and how she uses generative AI to reinterpret existing works and concepts. She emphasizes that her approach goes beyond simply hitting a button and involves thoughtful experimentation, iteration, and a deep understanding of the technology.
Addressing Bias in Generative AI
This Chapter focuses on the issue of bias in generative AI. Nitrice Gaskins discusses the historical biases present in AI systems, particularly in relation to representations of Black people. She shares examples of how generative AI models can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and emphasizes the need for diverse perspectives in training data and user intervention to combat bias.
Generative AI for Liberation
This Chapter explores the potential of generative AI for liberation and creative expression. Nitrice Gaskins discusses her work with Caribbean dancers and how generative AI can be used to empower marginalized communities. She emphasizes the importance of data privacy and ethical considerations in AI development, particularly in relation to surveillance and control.
The Future of Generative AI
This Chapter discusses the future of generative AI and its potential impact on art and society. Nitrice Gaskins expresses her hope that generative AI tools will become more accessible and widely distributed, allowing for greater creative expression and innovation. She argues that the future of art will be shaped by those who are willing to experiment and push boundaries, rather than by corporate interests.
Keywords
Generative AI
Generative AI refers to a type of artificial intelligence that can create new content, such as images, text, music, and code. It works by learning patterns from existing data and then using that knowledge to generate new outputs that are similar but not identical to the original data. Generative AI has become increasingly popular in recent years, with applications ranging from art and design to scientific research and drug discovery.
Remix Culture
Remix culture refers to the practice of taking existing cultural materials and transforming them into new works. This can include sampling music, re-editing videos, or creating new art based on existing images. Remix culture is often associated with hip-hop and digital art, but it has a long history in various cultures and art forms. It is characterized by creativity, collaboration, and the reinterpretation of existing materials.
Collage
Collage is an artistic technique that involves pasting together different materials, such as paper, fabric, or photographs, to create a new image. Collage has been used by artists for centuries, and it is often associated with modern art movements like Cubism and Dadaism. Collage is a form of remixing, where artists combine existing elements to create something new and unexpected.
Bias in AI
Bias in AI refers to the tendency of AI systems to reflect and amplify existing biases present in the data they are trained on. This can lead to unfair or discriminatory outcomes, particularly for marginalized groups. Bias in AI is a significant concern, and researchers and developers are working to address it through various methods, such as improving data quality, developing more robust algorithms, and promoting diversity in AI development teams.
Fair Use
Fair use is a legal doctrine that allows for the limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is often invoked in cases of remixing, parody, and educational use. The doctrine is intended to balance the rights of copyright holders with the public interest in promoting creativity and innovation.
Sashiko
Sashiko is a traditional Japanese embroidery technique that involves using running stitches to create decorative patterns on fabric. Sashiko is often used to reinforce fabric and create durable clothing. It is a form of textile art that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Gumbo
Gumbo is a hearty stew or soup that is a staple of Cajun and Creole cuisine. It is typically made with a roux, a mixture of fat and flour, and a variety of vegetables, meats, and seafood. Gumbo is a dish that reflects the history of cultural exchange and adaptation in the Southern United States.
Nitrice Gaskins
Nitrice Gaskins is a professor, cultural critic, and digital artist who is known for her work using generative AI. She is the Assistant Director of the Leslie Steam Learning Lab at Leslie University and the author of "Technovernacular Creativity and Innovation." Gaskins's artwork has been featured by the Smithsonian and other institutions. She is a leading voice in the field of generative AI and its intersection with art, culture, and technology.
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is a non-profit organization that defends civil liberties in the digital world. EFF advocates for free speech, privacy, and access to information online. The organization has been a leading voice in digital rights for over 30 years, and it has played a key role in shaping the development of the internet.
How to Fix the Internet
How to Fix the Internet is a podcast series produced by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). The show explores the challenges and opportunities of the internet, with a focus on envisioning a better future for the digital world. The podcast features interviews with experts, activists, and artists who are working to shape the future of the internet.
Q&A
How does Nitrice Gaskins view generative AI in relation to remix culture and traditional art forms like hip-hop and collage?
Gaskins sees generative AI as a natural extension of remixing practices found in these art forms. She argues that it's a tool for combining existing elements to create something new, just as artists in various cultures have historically used limited resources to innovate.
What are some of the challenges of using generative AI, particularly in relation to bias and representation?
Gaskins highlights the historical biases present in AI systems, often reflecting and amplifying existing societal prejudices. She emphasizes the need for diverse perspectives in training data and user intervention to combat bias and ensure more inclusive representations.
How does Nitrice Gaskins approach the artistic process of using generative AI?
Gaskins emphasizes that her approach goes beyond simply hitting a button. It involves thoughtful experimentation, iteration, and a deep understanding of the technology, drawing on her background in art and color theory to inform her prompts and create unique outputs.
What are some of the potential benefits of generative AI for liberation and creative expression?
Gaskins believes generative AI can empower marginalized communities and provide new avenues for creative expression. She highlights her work with Caribbean dancers and how generative AI can be used to celebrate and amplify diverse cultures.
What are some of the ethical considerations surrounding the use of generative AI?
Gaskins emphasizes the importance of data privacy and ethical considerations, particularly in relation to surveillance and control. She believes it's crucial to ensure that generative AI is used for liberation and empowerment, rather than for monitoring and control.
How does Nitrice Gaskins's work challenge existing notions of art and creativity?
Gaskins's work challenges the idea that art must be created solely through traditional methods. She demonstrates that generative AI can be a powerful tool for artistic expression, allowing artists to explore new possibilities and push boundaries.
What are some of the key takeaways from Nitrice Gaskins's conversation on the "How to Fix the Internet" podcast?
The conversation highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in AI development, the need for ethical considerations in the use of generative AI, and the potential of these tools for liberation and creative expression. It also emphasizes the importance of artistic intention and process, arguing that generative AI is not simply about hitting a button but about thoughtful experimentation and iteration.
What are some of the potential implications of generative AI for the future of art and society?
Gaskins believes that generative AI has the potential to democratize art and make it more accessible to a wider range of people. She hopes that these tools will become more widely distributed, allowing for greater creative expression and innovation.
How does Nitrice Gaskins's work connect to EFF's mission of defending civil liberties in the digital world?
Gaskins's work aligns with EFF's mission by highlighting the importance of fair use, access to technology, and the need for greater equity in the digital world. Her work demonstrates how generative AI can be used for creative expression and empowerment, while also raising concerns about bias and the need for ethical considerations in AI development.
What are some of the ways that we can ensure that generative AI is used for good and not for harm?
The conversation suggests that we need to promote diversity in AI development, address bias in training data, and develop ethical guidelines for the use of generative AI. It also emphasizes the importance of user intervention and education to ensure that these tools are used responsibly and for the benefit of society.
Show Notes
Collaging, remixing, sampling—art always has been more than the sum of its parts, a synthesis of elements and ideas that produces something new and thought-provoking. Technology has enabled and advanced this enormously, letting us access and manipulate information and images in ways that would’ve been unimaginable just a few decades ago.
For Nettrice Gaskins, this is an essential part of the African American experience: The ability to take whatever is at hand—from food to clothes to music to visual art—and combine it with life experience to adapt it into something new and original. She joins EFF’s Cindy Cohn and Jason Kelley to discuss how she takes this approach in applying artificial intelligence to her own artwork, expanding the boundaries of Black artistic thought.
In this episode you’ll learn about:
- Why making art with AI is about much more than just typing a prompt and hitting a button
- How hip-hop music and culture was an early example of technology changing the state of Black art
- Why the concept of fair use in intellectual property law is crucial to the artistic process
- How biases in machine learning training data can affect art
- Why new tools can never replace the mind of a live, experienced artist
Dr. Nettrice R. Gaskins is a digital artist, academic, cultural critic, and advocate of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) fields whose work she explores "techno-vernacular creativity" and Afrofuturism. She teaches, writes, "fabs,” and makes art using algorithms and machine learning. She has taught multimedia, visual art, and computer science with high school students, and now is assistant director of the Lesley STEAM Learning Lab at Lesley University. She was a 2021 Ford Global Fellow, serves as an advisory board member for the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech, and is the author of “Techno-Vernacular Creativity and Innovation” (2021). She earned a BFA in Computer Graphics with honors from Pratt Institute in 1992; an MFA in Art and Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1994; and a doctorate in Digital Media from Georgia Tech in 2014.
MUSIC CREDITS
Xena's Kiss / Medea's Kiss by mwic (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
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lostTrack by Airtone (c) copyright 2019 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Ft. mwic
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