Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, recently launched an AI art tool called Bicasso. This beta version of Bicasso allows users to create images using an AI algorithm and mint them as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) on Binance’s native BNB chain. Despite the ethical concerns surrounding AI artistry, Binance seems unfazed, and the popularity of the tool indicates that curiosity in AI art tools is not going away anytime soon.
Launching an AI art tool in today’s climate is risky business. While the AI-art movement continues to develop, with artists and galleries hosting competitions and physical exhibitions displaying the work of artists using the tools, society remains wary of the very concept. The general public has some reason to be; while many of the critiques lobbed at AI artistry are reactionary and based in fear, there are legitimate, ethical concerns surrounding the tools’ creation and use.
The proliferation and use of AI art tools in the last six months alone is nothing short of astounding, and companies across nearly every industry are already brainstorming ways to utilize tools like ChatGPT to their advantage. Being a major Web3 player, Binance is no stranger to experimenting with edgy tech. What might be surprising, though, is that Zhao announced this experiment so casually given the recent and accumulating lawsuits being filed against companies like Stability AI and Midjourney for alleged breaches of copyright law in how those programs trained their algorithm.
It’s unknown exactly how Bicasso’s program works and what images it was trained on, but it’s possible the Binance team went out of their way to avoid training its algorithm on what could easily be viewed as copyrighted material. With Binance’s current legal situation, they certainly don’t need any more trouble.
The release of Bicasso comes amid Binance getting grilled by the U.S. Senate over their regulatory compliance, as a years-long investigation by the DOJ attempts to ascertain if the exchange was involved in money laundering and criminal sanctions violations. While Zhao has consistently claimed that his exchange is fully invested in cooperating with the law and abiding by regulations, he is clearly not afraid of making moves in rapidly evolving legal and cultural territory.
While this was only a beta test, and there’s still much the company must determine before moving forward, it’s impossible to ignore Bicasso’s popularity. The short amount of time it took for the community to reach the minting limit is another indication that, despite the critical backlash that AI art tools have received, curiosity in them isn’t going away any time soon.
Critics of AI art tend to view cryptocurrency and NFTs in the same pejorative light, believing they simply represent a superfluous, scam-riddled technocratic fever dream for the few rather than a valuable and democratic addition to society’s progress. However, the experiment is a step in the right direction for normalizing a technology that is widely misrepresented and unfairly maligned.
There are some legitimate ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI art tools, such as the lack of transparency and control over the algorithm’s output. The creators of these tools need to take responsibility for the potential consequences of their creations and ensure that they’re used in ways that are beneficial to society. But as AI art continues to evolve and become more prevalent, it’s essential to address these concerns while also recognizing the potential benefits that AI art tools can bring.
The use of AI art tools can democratize the art world, allowing people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to create and share their work. It can also help artists push boundaries and experiment with new forms of expression, leading to exciting and innovative creations. Furthermore, AI art tools can be used to create unique and diverse representations of theworld and challenge traditional forms of representation, offering a new perspective on artistic creation.
However, the increasing use of AI art tools also raises important ethical concerns that need to be addressed. One of the most significant concerns is the question of authorship and ownership. Who should own the rights to AI-generated art, the artist who created the algorithm, or the user who input the prompt?
Another concern is the potential for AI-generated art to perpetuate biases and reinforce stereotypes, as the algorithms used in these tools are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on. If the data used to train the algorithm is biased, the resulting artwork may also be biased.
Additionally, there is the issue of transparency and explainability. As AI-generated art becomes more prevalent, it is essential that the algorithms used in these tools are transparent and explainable, allowing users and viewers to understand how the artwork was created and the decisions made by the algorithm.
Finally, there are the broader societal concerns surrounding the use of AI in creative fields. The increasing use of AI in art may lead to a reduction in the demand for human artists and creatives, as machines become more capable of producing artwork that is indistinguishable from that created by humans. This may have significant economic and societal implications, particularly for those whose livelihoods depend on creative work.
Despite these concerns, the potential for AI art tools to democratize the art world and push the boundaries of artistic expression cannot be ignored. As the technology continues to evolve, it is crucial that we address these ethical concerns and work towards creating a more transparent and equitable future for AI-generated art.