AI Art: Advancement or dilution of human expression?

Japanese master animator Hayao Miyazaki’s meticulous work, celebrated through Studio Ghibli’s timeless creations, is the product of painstaking craftsmanship and deep artistic ethos. Yet today, Miyazaki’s signature style has been reduced to mimicry, as ChatGPT’s image generator and similar AI tools churn out “Ghibli-style” artwork within seconds — sparking a global debate on art, ethics, and ownership.

While many users dismiss the trend as “fun” or a natural extension of AI development, critics argue that it poses profound challenges. Cybersecurity expert Karan Saini underscores that AI art lacks originality: “AI can combine objects and features to produce something seemingly unique, but without training data based on copyrighted material, its ability diminishes. Philosophically, it cannot create anything truly original.”Indian graphic artists unanimously view the Ghibli trend as intellectual theft. Graphic novelist Appupen, co-author of Dream Machine, highlights the economic threat: “AI art is pure business. The danger lies in how it undermines artists’ income streams, with images being generated off established branding.”

Sarnath Banerjee, another leading graphic novelist, argues that the real issue is the normalization of such practices. “There are techno-positive consumers who defend AI by saying it ‘democratises’ art or gives Miyazaki recognition. But this only shows how low the cultural bar has been set. Civil society is not standing up for art but legitimising theft.” Banerjee adds that assuming “art will abide” is naive. “The art world is already fragile due to funding cuts and over-commercialisation. AI only deepens this crisis by perfecting mimicry — creating a simulacrum of the real.”For illustrator Priya Kuriyan, the heart of art lies in emotion and intent. “Original work reflects an artist’s vulnerabilities and experiences. AI lacks nuance and depth. With AI, creation is accidental — a collage rather than an expression. The Ghibli trend reduces art into dopamine hits, momentary pleasures like profile pictures.”

Artist Orijit Sen echoes this sentiment, emphasising the sacredness of creation. “It takes a lifetime of observation, care, and thought to produce real art. Reducing Miyazaki’s work to mimicry demeans a profound body of creativity. Art is more than an end product — it is a spiritual experience, a collective human treasure that must be preserved.”As AI advances, artists warn of its unbridled development at the cost of jobs, ethics, and creativity. While technological innovation is inevitable, they stress the need for collective resistance to protect the sanctity of art from being reduced to fleeting trends.

(Asstt Editor)