I'm writing this prologue before I create almost all the work for the exhibition. Currently, I have only done 90% of three paintings plus a modest, but expanding set of notes on what I wish to show. What I envisage is that by the end of the journey, the original anger and resentment with which I looked upon the emerging AI will have dulled somewhat. I can already sense that happening for me at least, as I make use of the tool to create summaries, ideas for frames, audible discussions, et al. The AI itself suggested as much, but I think my drive for using it is driven as much by the desire to grow my work as from the words of Sun Tzu: Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy. Thus, the army will have food enough for its needs.

I think at least part of the function of the artist is to externalise thoughts and feelings in a way that resonates with others. And that is what I intend to do with this exhibition; in some ways, to enunciate my own frustrations and sadness at the emerging world. But, ‌to scavenge some positivity from it, my experience of discovery and exploration of the new AI technology has already not been wholly negative. Although at the time of writing this, I still feel it will ultimately degrade and lessen the human experience, it is clearly a powerful tool and has enabled me largely to circumvent the preliminary ideation and study phase and focus on the final pieces. I also used AI to ideate framing options as I wanted the frames to be as much a part of the art as the paintings that they contained.

So, at the last, although my original feelings were of resentment towards the AI; almost a desire to lash out, in the only way I could, I have rapidly descended into an exploration of the technology as a tool to aid with my artwork. Indeed, the AI itself suggested this very thing almost at the outset.

As I write this I reiterate that my pervading feelings are that the AI will ultimately devalue and diminish humanity for the sake of quick gains - after all, if there’s one thing that Man’s sentience has taught him, it’s the knowledge that laziness is an option, and consequently, it is very much the nature of us to descend into that very thing, as (somewhat ironically), we strive to maximise the value of our short lives.

There will always be those driven by more than any default biological impetus. Those that are obsessive, or bipolar, or perhaps simply insane, and for those people, the AI will probably make little or no material difference either way - except, as in my case, to shortcut some of the preliminary drudgery on their way to their goals. I do wonder, however, about the loss of understanding things at the ground level and if skills atrophy will be problematic for future versions of ourselves. Looking at previous major technological upheavals like the industrial revolution, we can see that although it resulted in major social hardship for the many affected and did indeed cause the loss of many skills and trades, the net gain for society was (arguably) positive.

This industrial revolution feels different, however. It cuts to the quick of who we are, and what makes us human. The gains have never been higher or, potentially, the cost. And as always, one has to ask, who will ultimately benefit? In the 1800s it was undoubtedly the wealthy industrialists who had been able to produce so much surplus at so little cost to themselves; controlling the markets like never before. But now it is the tech giants who have replaced the industrialists.

How curious it is to see history repeating itself.