April 6, 2025 | By FlashpointNews Team
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the world of art—but not everyone is celebrating. As AI image generators become more advanced, they’re now capable of mimicking the styles of legendary artists, raising ethical, creative, and economic concerns. Icons like Hayao Miyazaki, the mastermind behind Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, have been outspoken critics of AI-generated art—and they’re not alone.
“I Feel Like We Are Losing Humanity” — Miyazaki’s Harsh Words on AI
In a now-famous interview during the production of Studio Ghibli’s Boro the Caterpillar, Miyazaki was shown a grotesque animation created by an AI program. His response was scathing:
“Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is… I strongly feel this is an insult to life itself.”
Miyazaki has long believed that art should reflect the human spirit, emotion, and suffering—something he believes AI fundamentally lacks. His criticism wasn’t just about style imitation but the dehumanization of creativity.
Other Artists Speak Out
Miyazaki is far from alone. Artists around the world are voicing similar concerns:
Greg Rutkowski, a fantasy artist known for his digital illustrations, found his name being used thousands of times in AI prompts—without his consent.
Kim Jung Gi, the late Korean illustrator, has also had his distinctive art style copied by AI, sparking outrage among fans and fellow artists.
Loish, a digital illustrator with a huge online following, has publicly condemned the training of AI on copyrighted art.
The Core Issue: Consent and Creativity
At the heart of the backlash is one core issue: consent. These artists never agreed to have their life’s work fed into an algorithm.
AI models like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and DALL·E are trained on billions of images scraped from the internet—often without permission. While this creates powerful tools, it raises questions:
- Is AI art theft?
- Should artists be compensated when their style is used?
- Can creativity exist without human emotion?
What Does the Future Hold for Human Artists?
Despite the fear, many believe human artists will evolve, not disappear. Here’s what we might expect in the coming years:
- Stronger Copyright Protections: New regulations could force AI companies to license art or exclude copyrighted material.
- Style Licensing Platforms: Artists may monetize their style, choosing whether or not to license it to AI models.
- Hybrid Art Models: Just like photography didn’t kill painting, AI could become a tool—not a replacement—for artists.
- Creative Rebellion: We may see a rise in “human-only” art communities or art labeled as “100% human-made”.
Curious Cases & Fascinating Facts
- In 2022, an AI-generated piece titled Théatrum Mundi won first place at the Colorado State Fair fine arts competition, igniting fierce debate. Many attendees didn’t know it was AI-made until after judging.
- Some AI-generated artworks have been unknowingly accepted into online galleries, misattributed to real artists.
- AI models have been found to “recreate” copyrighted artworks nearly pixel for pixel when prompted with the right phrases.
- ArtStation, a popular platform for digital artists, faced protests after allowing AI art uploads—prompting them to introduce opt-out tags for creators.
How Artists Can Protect Their Work Today
- Add metadata to digital images with copyright info.
- Use platforms that allow opt-out from AI scraping.
- Consider blockchain solutions to authenticate original works.
- Join legal and advocacy groups supporting artists’ digital rights.
Final Thoughts
AI is pushing art into uncharted territory. While the tools are powerful, they also come with responsibility. As more voices like Miyazaki’s speak out, the conversation is growing louder: what kind of future do we want for creativity?
Artists must adapt, but society must also protect the human soul in art. Whether AI becomes a collaborator or competitor—it’s up to us.
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