AI won’t decimate the arts. We must interrogate it, but we can collaborate with it
Opera makers have always engaged with the latest inventions while also preserving historic crafts. I believe it’s possible to look both forwards and backwards in this fast-evolving landscape
TL;DR
- Artificial intelligence generates significant disquiet and distrust among artists, with fears it will decimate the arts.
- The RBO/SHIFT festival at the Royal Opera House aims to examine all sides of AI's impact on artists, creatives, and audiences.
- Opera, by synthesizing multiple art forms and historically embracing new technologies, provides a unique lens to examine AI.
- Concerns about AI replacing people, particularly regarding ownership and the use of performers' likenesses, are legitimate but the reality of AI's impact on artistic roles may be more complex.
- The most discussed aspect of AI, generative creation, is arguably the least interesting; AI's potential lies more in collaboration, interaction, and novel artistic practices.
- Practical applications of AI in opera production, such as workforce planning, scheduling, safety, and waste reduction through pre-visualisation, may have a greater long-term impact than image generation.
- Ethical questions surrounding appropriation and misuse of artists' work are substantial, necessitating legislation and protections, while acknowledging creativity's historical dependence on access to culture.
- Rather than decimating the arts, AI may lead to a greater appreciation and preservation of them, as unique human elements like singing, playing, scenery, and communal energy remain unchallenged by AI.