Artificial intelligence (AI) is slowly encroaching on an increasing number of industries and professions.
A Hobby Lobby customer says that the craft and home decor retailer has now been “infiltrated” by AI.
Tobias Williams (@twill.wont) posted a TikTok from the arts section of Hobby Lobby. He suggests that an entire line of what appears to be screen-printed paintings was created by AI.
“Bro, the AI has made it to Hobby Lobby,” William says in the post. “Br,o what is this?”
His post shows a series of paintings depicting animals in human clothes.
Williams’ commentary has people both trashing AI-created art and planning a trip to Hobby Lobby to buy one of the pictures.
His TikTok has 935,000 views as of this writing.
But is it ‘art’?
Art is commonly understood to be the exclusive product of the human mind, forged in the creative centers in mysterious, some might say intangible, ways.
AI-generated art has been a sore spot for years. If a computer creates it, is it a form of artistic expression or merely a mathematical formula assembling “art” based on that which already exists? Put another way: Is it truly creative if it’s essentially programmatic?
Artists complain that AI uses their work to be trained to create images, music, scripts, and other works of art, so it is essentially a copycat at best and a copyright thief at worst.
The University of Texas at Austin Center for Media Engagement’s report, “The Ethics of AI Art,” highlights the tension between artists and AI.
The authors note that “the limits of [AI’s] potential depend on the creativity of its input phrases.” Then they point out that AI is likely to take work from artists.
“Why would a rock band commission Andy Warhol, say, when DALL-E 2 can generate ‘rotting banana in pop art style‘ for free?” they write. DALL-E2 is a machine learning model that creates images from verbal prompts.
Without the creativity of Warhol and other artists, however, some would say that a program could never come up with “rotting banana in pop art style.”
AI art in Hobby Lobby
There have been rumors circulating online for months that Hobby Lobby is using AI to create art. Hobby Lobby didn’t respond to an inquiry sent via the contact form on its website Monday afternoon.
Other retailers have also been accused of selling AI-created art—or, if you prefer, “art.”
Such images have been trashed as “AI slop,” “lazy,” and “just weirdly smooth.” Many people don’t like paying the same price for AI that they might for a design commissioned from an actual artist.
Critics delight in pointing out mistakes AI commonly makes. Hands with too many fingers, extra legs on pigs, and guitar strings that go over the hand of an astronaut who’s supposedly playing it are but a few examples.
Advocates say it’s cheaper, faster, and note that humans created the AI, so we’re still technically part of the process.
‘Who buying?’
Comments on Williams’ post oscillated between revulsion and fandom.
“It’s been there for almost a year,” one wrote disparagingly. “We’re totally cooked.”
“Airbnbs don’t decorate themselves,” another joked.
“Not a soul painted that,” said a third.
In his post, Williams wondered, “Who’s buying this?”
Plenty of people answered with a resounding “I am.”
One wrote, “[Expletive] the Boomers about to spend all their damn money on AI Hobby Lobby stuff.”
“Guess who’s headed to Hobby Lobby,” another said.
“Who buying? Give me the [expletive] capybara one,” a fan commented.
@twill.wont AI has infiltrated Honby Lobby #foryou #hobbylobby #ai ♬ Lucifer's Waltz – Secession Studios
Williams didn’t respond to direct messages sent via Instagram and TikTok Monday afternoon.
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