대학신문방송국

AI is Changing the Field of Creativity

By Choi Yong-il Reporter, Junior of Chemical and Biological Engineering

In recent years, AI has moved beyond just a tool and has stepped onto the stage of creativity. AI now generates pictures, composes music, and even creates novels and poems. This shift has challenged the long-held belief that art is something only humans can make. As the boundaries between technology and art, and between humans and machines, become increasingly blurred, new opportunities and debates are emerging.

AI in Art: From Tool to Partner

Generative AI has brought dramatic changes to the art world. A notable example emerged in 2022, when “Space Opera Theater”, created using the AI program “MidJourney”, won first place in the digital art category at the Colorado State Fair in the U.S. This event sparked a major question: “Can an AI-created work be regarded on the same level as human art?” Following the controversy, the fair began requiring artists to disclose the use of AI, showing that artistic standards may need to adapt alongside technology.

Legal and Ethical Questions

The first issue is authorship. In 2018, Stephen Thaler asked the U.S. Copyright Office to register an image made by his AI. The office refused, stating that copyright requires human creativity. Thaler went to court, but in 2023, both the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals also rejected his claim.

This case had big effects. As AI works gain value, questions about ownership now affect areas like film, publishing, and gaming. Some companies even try to measure how much of the work is done by humans to avoid legal trouble. This ruling is seen as a turning point in the global copyright debate.

In Korea, the Copyright Commission has similarly stated AI-generated works are usually not protected. But if humans clearly add creativity, they may qualify. This is similar to global trends. The European Union is preparing an AI Act that asks for more transparency. Japan also says AI works are usually not protected, but it is working with the industry to set rules. These actions are expected to guide future laws.

The second issue is the role of artists. Some fear AI will replace them. Others think it will give more people a chance to create. Work like making music or illustrations, which once needed skills and equipment, can now be done by anyone with AI. This opens the door to new types of art. On YouTube and TikTok, more creators are already making AI music videos and webtoons, gaining their own fans. Experts compare this to the invention of photography. People once feared it would replace painting, but later it became its own art and gave new ways of expression.

AI as a Partner, Not a Threat

The growth of AI in art does not mean the end of human creativity. Instead, AI is becoming a partner that helps with new experiments. Around the world, more projects show artists and AI working together. In Korea, more exhibitions and performances use AI, showing how art and technology are joining in a new cultural trend.

AI’s influence is not just about tools. It raises basic questions about what art is. The law is still unclear, and ethical debates go on. But one thing is sure: AI is not a threat to art. It is opening new doors for creativity. When human imagination and technology meet, they can create new cultural value beyond what we once imagined.