Why AI Can't Kill True Art (But Will Destroy Mediocrity)
How the commodification of artistic production will create a premium market for documented human creativity
My YouTube algorithm has recently taken me down an unexpected rabbit hole. Between my usual educational technology videos and pedagogical discussions, I've found myself watching hours of content created by artists. These aren't tutorials on technique or showcases of their work, but rather detailed analyses of suspected AI-generated images masquerading as human art.
These videos feature artists meticulously pointing out telltale signs of AI generation: impossible anatomy, inconsistent lighting, way too many or not enough fingers, or that peculiar "bloomy" aesthetic that marks early AI models. The comment sections overflow with terms like “AI slop," expressing a disappointment and sometimes outright disgust at what many see as a fundamental deception.
This phenomenon connects to something I explored in a previous post, AI Slop is the New Kitsch, where I argued that we might witness a new art movement emerging from the AI slop metaphor. Just as kitsch transitioned from derided mass-produced sentimentality to an acknowledged aesthetic category worthy of critical examination, AI-generated imagery may follow a similar trajectory into mainstream art discourse. But what strikes me most about these recent controversies isn't just the aesthetic debate. It's how they reveal a fundamental shift in where we locate artistic value.
The Flashpoints: Dragon Con and Disney
Two recent controversies have brought this cultural tension into sharp focus. At Dragon Con 2025, what should have been a routine weekend in the Pop Artist Alley ended with police escorting a vendor from the premises. The incident wasn't about aesthetic preferences or artistic snobbery. It was about deliberate deception and the violation of explicitly stated community standards.