Building, creating and inventing are the building blocks to human life. Whether it’s in science, fashion or even in food, having an original or new idea can help a person’s self-confidence. Though recently, with the growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media influencers, to compose something new has become a challenge.
Evangeline Crosland (9) says she thinks the world has introduced new ways for art mediums but having the option to use AI can hinder societies’ effort to create something new.
“Art it is becoming very creative because of the wide range of accessibility to inspiration and other forms of art. I believe that AI is negatively influencing many forms of art and the creativity levels because people are more likely to use AI rather than to use their creativity and make something truly unique,” Crosland said.
While it can be a good tool to get out of a creative block, AI is becoming a threat to work ethic and imagination, changing not only the academic landscape, but also how humans model the world. With AI being so accessible, falling into the temptation to use it for a school assignment or for inspiration is almost guaranteed. According to artsmart.ai, 68% of teachers must check their students’ work to see if it was AI generated due to how widespread it has become. But it doesn’t help that roughly 60% of teachers now incorporate AI into their lesson planning or grading, according to edweek.org. How is this example going to benefit future generations? And is the world becoming too reliant on technology to do the work for us? Those are just a couple of questions that many feels should be answered soon.
Crissy Rennie, art and photography teacher at Spartanburg High School, says she believes that people have started to misuse AI in their designing process.
“Artificial intelligence, while powerful, is also contributing to this creative decline. It’s starting to limit people’s ability to truly think outside the box. Inspiration should be a launchpad not a shortcut and it’s scary to see what the future looks like. People should take an idea, build upon it, and strive to create something even greater,” Rennie said.
Consumerism and social media are also affecting how creative the world has become. As we scroll through our phones, we have the need to mimic and fit in with those online. Trying to match our life to theirs can start a series of imitation with a lack of originality. You can see this in the way people design or decorate their houses, produce music, and make movies. The increase in movie sequels has launched to an average 41.7% in 2023 from the 11.7% in 1990, according to stephenfollows.com. This is mostly due to production companies going off the trend of what is popular in the moment and thinking of how much money the movie will make compared to the originality of the movie itself. The music industry is having a similar pattern, with artists sharing background beats or melodies to fit what is being most listened to at the time.
Jack Usry (10) says he thinks creativity seems to be declining but it is for good reason, including the practicality of the product.
“The world’s creativity is evolving rather than dwindling, though some areas may feel stuck in repetition. In housing, for example, uniform suburban developments may lack imagination, but at the same time, innovative architectural designs and sustainable housing,” Usry said.
Although some designs may be repetitive, especially in housing, the practicality of products must be included in the planning process. Most times, materials and time needed for extravagant houses or pieces of art can overpower the income, subsiding the profit. But this shouldn’t hold back or weaken artists’ minds and power. With some of the monotonous around us, mixing pieces of color, life and character into our surroundings can benefit mental health and overall well-being, according to insightspsychologyl.org.
