Famed iOS Drawing App Slyly Rejects the Advances of Generative AI

“A Popular iOS Illustration App Is Saying No to Generative AI”

“Many companies have touted AI as the future of image-making, with generative design algorithms that can produce an infinite number of unique designs.” Sure, we’ve seen all the flashy headlines about artificial intelligence swooping down from the high heavens of tech innovation, transforming mere pixels into drop-dead gorgeous digital masterpieces. But hold your horses, people.

The creator of one of the most beloved digital painting apps, Procreate, says something to the effect of, “Not so fast.” You see, the folks at Procreate, rather than hopping aboard the AI express, have clang to their artistic roots. Fostering a love for the human touch in a world where zeroes and ones are increasingly calling the shots.

Story goes like this: Savage Interactive, the kooky brains behind Procreate, took a cold hard look at AI and the potential it holds for changing the art landscape. And their conclusion? Something akin to, as our beloved Bob Dylan once said, “The times they are a changin’.” But do we really need to entrust our precious artistic expressions to cold machines? Savage Interactive seems to think not so much.

Here’s a tasty nugget for you: the app is deliberately structured to emphasize the “craft” in the craftsmanship. Diverse brushes, manual color picking, and oh-so-satisfying spread of layers ensure the user really pours their soul into every stroke, rather than relying on a machine to dictate what’s “artistic” and what’s not.

Sure, AI has its perks. It can churn out infinite patterns faster than you can say, “print,” and make them look good too. But, just like canned laughter in sitcoms, it lacks that authenticity, that human element that gets us all warm and tingly inside when we see a well-crafted piece of art. We probably tried a hundred times and failed a hundred times until we finally hit that sweet spot and came up with something genuinely breathtaking. That’s what art is about, not a computer spewing out designs willy-nilly.

You see, art is not about rapid-fire production or achieving maximum efficiency, two areas where AI undoubtedly excels. It’s about the heart, soul and messy imperfections that come along with the human instinct. It’s about the painstaking effort undertaken by the creator, the sleepless nights, the worn-out erasers, and the joy of organic discovery. Let the machines stick to the calculations and spreadsheets. When it comes to creating something that speaks to the soul, can’t beat the good ol’ tried and tested human touch. And, it seems, the team at Procreate wholeheartedly agrees.

Read the original article here: https://www.wired.com/story/procreate-app-no-generative-ai/