Tapping in the Dark

As our society advances rapidly into an increasingly technology-driven landscape, the recent trend of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in text-to-image software has sparked various repercussions in the visual art field. While previous literature has examined the influence of technological advancement on various cultural aspects, generation-specific and culturally sensitive studies remain under-explored. This master thesis takes the initiative to explore how the young generation of visual artists and designers perceive and respond to the impact of AI art as technological advancement. Based on theories of cultural production and change of convention in artistic fields, this study reviews key concepts such as authenticity, cultural lag, and artistic educational orientation differences between the East and the West. Utilizing a mix-method research approach, this study combines quantitative surveys and qualitative semi-structured interviews as its main research instruments. Survey data collected from across five countries were followed by eight qualitative semi-structured interviews to co-contribute the answer to this thesis’s main research question. This research reveals that both study majors, artistic work approach, and art education orientation play significant roles in predicting attitudes towards AI art technology. Analyses based on the interviews expand the research scope further by identifying the internal and external perspectives in negotiating their meaning-making and response towards AI art. Sub-categories are pinpointed at differentiating AI from one’s artistic identity, urging to adapt to change, relocating the purpose of art-making, technical assessment of AI, and socio-cultural discussions. Through the integration of results from both approaches, the analysis illustrates that youth artists and designers find it art to make meaning of AI art at the current stage and prefer contextual negotiation based on their perspective chosen. This thesis also makes its contribution by revealing that young artists who have their study backgrounds in the East tend to feel more engaged with AI as a useful and must-learn tool to navigate their path into the art world since artistic skillset and technique remain to be key components and criteria of the art industry in the East. Conversely, young artists and designers who have educational backgrounds in the West are less compliant with trends and standards but with a higher focus on the social and cultural implications that AI could bring into our ever-more technological society.