Exploring the Uncanny World of AI Art: A Tale of Teletubby Disappointment
Last week, co-founder/smile-stretcher Kelsey was talking about how, on a recent morning before work, she and her son were playing with an online AI tool that allows the user to sketch out an illustration, add a descriptive phrase, and then sit back and let the robot do its thang to make the idea come to life. Whether it’s the dimension of life the artist intends is still up for discussion.
As someone who, when not writing, spends my day at a reception desk awaiting requests from passing coworkers, I had no choice but to dive into this wacky tool and crank out some grade-A internet art. If you’re in the Montessori camp, we’ll call it “highly-praised.”
In trying to keep it kid-friendly, lest I horrify the algorithm for the tots on the World Wide Web, I attempted a wobbly Teletubby illustration and attached the phrase, “proud Teletubby.” What I received was a vibrantly colorful image of a purple, empty-eyed-but-still-somehow-staring-into-my-soul creature that was seemingly on the other end of a teeter totter from me. Its belly was distended, its smile knowing, yet haunting. Surrounded by a blurred background of what seemed like carnival prizes, it telepathically (Teletubby-pathically?) communicated its disappointment in my prompt and my failure as a creator. And though I almost succumbed to the shame waves emanating from this mangled fleece sock with a face, I realized that, in fact, I did not create it! AI did! My digital offspring’s ennui was the result of a bunch of bleeps and bloops (~internet robot sounds~) trying to create life. It didn’t come from a delicious, brilliant human brain at all!
All this to say: when clients bring their ideas to WOTW, thank goodness they’re working with a team of powerful, dynamic human beings and not an invisible cyborg necromancer.
