Just a thought.
When Hip Hop originated in the late seventies, it was decried as inartistic and unoriginal (and some still think it so) because one of its core elements involved the sampling of pre-existing music created by other artists. It is painfully obvious that those who continue to turn their nose up at the art of DJing and think of it as talentless and uncreative work have never attempted to marry disparate elements via a mixing board and turntables and produce a new and infectious piece of art.
The pre-existing elements come together and form a third and interesting new creation, just as a child is made up of the genetic elements of its own parents. This is a sacred and universal truth. In this, art and life imitate each other.
As Hip Hop spread, some said it would kill the demand for original and traditional musicians. Yet today, we have Hip Hop and traditional artists and musicians not only coexisting, but collaborating.
I know a major concern of illustrators and artists are the legalities of visual sampling. People want to get paid. I get that. But I’m pretty sure in the early days of Hip Hop, kids from the Bronx weren’t sending royalties to James Brown. Things will change, things will evolve. They always will. They always should.
I just don’t think the advent of AI art should be so harshly denigrated as I’m seeing. I also think it’s pointless to resist. It’s here, and it’s going to continue and evolve.
I have messed around with Midjourney and not turned up much of anything worth posting. I don’t seem to have a talent for it. Yet, I have seen other ‘visual DJs’ plug word prompts into the same app and bring forth truly staggering original images.
When a non-artist creates art, they become an artist.
And a world with more artists is OK by me.
Delirium Tremens 
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