AI won't replace human connection and experience in art, Filipino artists say

At a time when artificial intelligence (AI) can create artwork in an instant, Filipino artists believe it still cannot replicate the unique experiences, emotions, and human connections that bind artists, audiences, and the art they create.

In the "Artificial Obra" special report on "State of the Nation" on Monday, a visual artist said AI can generate art quickly and efficiently because it is designed to produce results.

“Pero dito sa live portrait, dito sa ginagawa ko, gusto kong mapahalagahan natin yung proseso, yung interaction, yung human connection para mas madagdagan ng value yung output natin,” visual portrait artist Albert Raqueño said.

(But with live portrait, with what I do, I want people to appreciate the process, the interaction, and the human connection because these add more value to the final output.)

Using only a highlighter and a paintbrush, Raqueño creates live portraits in just a few minutes.

Content creator Yani Villarosa was among the subjects Raqueño drew.

“Yung dino-drawing ka ni Albert sa kung paano ka niya nakikita, even yung conversation na shine-share ninyo habang ongoing yung process, hindi mo ‘yon makukuha sa AI. Yung sining, nararamdaman siya, na-e-experience siya,” Villarosa said.

(When Albert draws you based on how he sees you, and with the conversations you share while the work is in progress, that's something you can't get from AI. Art is something you feel and experience.)

For comic artist AJ Bacar, there are still aspects of art that AI cannot replicate, such as capturing the nuances of Filipino humor.

“‘Yung humor ng Pinoy kasi hindi siya kaya ng AI… Magbibigay ‘yan pero it’s not as funny kapag tao talaga ‘yung nag-isip,” Bacar said.

(AI can't replicate Filipino humor. It may generate something, but it's not as funny as when a real person comes up with it.)

Bacar spends four to eight hours creating a comic page. He begins by conceptualizing the content before translating it into a storyboard, where he sketches the initial drawings.

“After mo i-pencil, papabasa mo muna sa peers, ‘funny ba?’” Bacar added.

(After finishing the pencil sketches, you let your peers read it first and ask, 'Is it funny?')

Once the content passes scrutiny, it moves to line art, coloring, and final detailing, followed by another round of peer feedback. It is then uploaded online, after which Bacar monitors and engages with readers in the comments section.

Concern over copyright

Most AI-generated images are created by training on vast databases of images available on the internet, including artworks made by human artists. This practice of collecting and analyzing data has fueled copyright concerns among artists.

According to an AI expert, however, laws are already in place to protect and ensure recognition for the original creators of artworks.

At present, AI is not viewed as a creator but rather as a tool.

“Right now, we are in a transition period where it doesn’t look great. But the question becomes, in the future, can AI be one of the tools that is used to create art?” Data & Ethics PH executive director Carlo Javier said.

Javier said that, unlike humans, AI lacks its own agency and artistic vision, and its ability to create art remains dependent on prompts provided by humans.

Bacar believes people will continue to seek out real artists for their distinctive art styles, compelling storytelling, and ability to breathe life into their creations.

“Naniniwala naman ako na mananalig pa rin ‘yung humanity or ‘yung value nito. Hahanap-hanapin pa rin natin ‘yung sense of being human ng isang work,” Raqueño said.

(I believe humanity, or its value, will endure. We will continue to seek that sense of being human in a work of art.)

"Sana in the future, matutunan din nating mas mapahalagahan at mas masuportahan iyong mga totoong artist," he added.

(I hope that in the future, we will learn to value and support real artists even more.) —VBL, GMA News