2,965 people chose human-made art over AI:Amid the AI boom, trust in art with a ‘human touch’ has grown

In the age of AI, hundreds of images and designs are being created within seconds. Yet the value of work made by human hands in art is increasing. Fingerprints, corrected areas, or patches of paint left untouched in a painting are now being seen as evidence of the artwork’s authenticity. AI provides many options in an instant, but people’s trust in images created with it may decline. In a study presented at the 2024 CHI Conference, 60 people used AI to create designs. They adopted the AI’s initial examples more often, leaving less room for new and different ways of thinking. According to the study, AI-generated answers may stop people from thinking through difficult questions and discovering new ideas before they even begin. Research: Ideas Are Becoming Less Original Because of AI In tests involving 2,965 people across six different experiments, participants preferred art created by humans over art created by AI, even though both images looked identical. According to a 2015 study, people prefer handmade things because they believe the creator invested time, effort, and love in them. The tiny marks visible in real art indicate that the artist made numerous decisions while creating it. AI Will Imitate, but the Real Test Will Be ‘History’ In the future, AI may try to make itself appear authentic by creating fake fingerprints, aged finishes, and brushstrokes. But merely imitating imperfections will not be enough. As it becomes harder to determine authenticity by examining texture, the creative history behind an artwork and its provenance will become increasingly important. The Future: AI Will Become a Tool, but ‘Human Struggle’ Will Prevail Photography and digital tools once challenged artists’ skills too. Later, artists turned them into a new way to express their ideas. In the future as well, those who think beyond the patterns created by AI will make the best use of it. Among identical images, people will prefer art that clearly reveals human shortcomings, mistakes, and struggles.