Oi, Oi, AI.

I saw a reel on Insta exposing an AI posing as a singer-songwriter. I made a reflex comment: "How did this pass me?" Upon reflection, I know how.

I had my suspicions when I first heard the song, but when I clicked on it I saw that the 'artist' had a real name, so I checked on Instagram and saw it had an account, a normal looking face, and even a religion. (Talk about a double agenda from whoever created it.) But anyway, for someone whose ears tingle with suspicion whenever an AI song comes on, it still tricked me just because it had a social media account and a faith-based denomination.

I always sniff out AI music. Whenever I'm moving around at home and I hear an AI track come on, I'll run to skip it. You can usually tell — for some reason they all love to mention some old café. It's actually quite funny how it's been programmed.

The first time AI music felt like it was going to become a real issue was at Christmas. There were so many fake playlists tricking new generations into thinking they're old classics. Fake Sinatras. C'mon.

Who's doing this?

So many like to laud their moral angst and superiority over people's personal use of AI — viciously typing on a phone that was acquired through slave labour, child slave labour, human exploitation, and exploitation of the planet. This is not my intention. I've written in a previous blog that I don't think AI is all bad. Our slaughtering and consumption of animals is way worse for the well-being of the planet in every possible way, and all the short videos you consume — you think they're doing a good job at energy conservation? It's degrading your brain and the planet at the same time.

You are being consumed.

BUT, BUT... We're vilifying the technology instead of the human being who clicked it into existence. There are villains here, but it's not the computers. It's the sickos that are sickos with or without a laptop. Yes, I do think that you're a villain if you create fake songwriters — there are so many naturally born talents that you could work with. If you want to get creative, collaborate. Reach out to real people. Don't steal the ears of real human beings to listen to soulless imitations.

What can this mean for artists?

I don't feel compelled to record myself online for social media. This constant digital voyeurism disturbs me at times. And as artists, some of us find it hard to advocate for ourselves. Some are great at self-promotion, but if you're like me you might be a bit bashful at times or have what I've just decided to diagnose myself with: 'The Van Gogh complex and the partial relief of posthumous fame.'

I've had an affinity with Van Gogh since I discovered that we were both born on the 30th of March.

I dived into books on his life and felt, among other shared experiences, a sense of being ignored — a lack of recognition for the talent shared while alive. I won't cut my ear off.

Although I did almost become content with just sharing my work later on and leaving it to be discovered after my long life is lived and I pass on. Now there are new artists out there who are actually talented and are getting the clout they deserve, so at least the industry seemed to be getting better to me. But now there are AI artists — ugh! — it's shaken me awake a bit.

Why is your art needed now?

Even if you leave a body of work behind, guaranteed there's someone who needs you now. And even if there isn't, doesn't it feel sooooo good to create? So be present online even if no one pays attention now. Express yourself for yourself — let your dreams breathe through you.

And let the future generations see some real human talent.

Hopefully, this dystopian fearmongering — visions being projected about robotic creatures — won't be real then anyway, and the descendants will laugh and study this paranoid time in history and learn of our unfounded fears to be analysed in social studies: "The Angst of AI: its rise and the arising (or should it be rising?) terror." Just please, if you're reading this 100 years from now, don't just go to immersive galleries for the experience — find the original paintings.

Don't collect digital sunflowers. Plant a seed instead.

From your fellow human being, Rose.

P.S. The reel I saw was made by @nicoleflowing about the AI named Joy Rhodes.