Brilliant. Something I've thought about as well, that individual art pieces (digitally reproduced) hath become a commodity. The art itself now isn't what it used to be, but it's now in the decisive overall vision and aesthetic of a brand; in a certain feel, perhaps? Is that what you mean with "artistry has zoomed out"? Thanks for writing all of this out.
Glad it resonates! Attempting to make sense of the world and where it's going.
Yes, that's the gist. I get the sense we will keep zooming out to the level of human ingenuity and intent (and this will be a moving target). As of now at least, singular AI-generated works feels the most devoid of this, but a body of work is abstracting to a higher level and presenting us with an overall aesthetic sensibility. Some nuances depending on the medium of creation, but expect this to continue.
So interesting. Do you think there will keep being a strong "anti AI art" movement of people who demand some sort of proof of Authenticity to support it? Or that a counter-trend will get stronger of more raw, humble human art? An imperfect aesthetic or will that not matter, you think?
In general I think every kind of thing will bifurcate — the middle will fall out — there’ll be flights toward the only human end and also the overtly AI-assisted end. Ultimately I still think aesthetic matters for both, but on the AI end it might be the only thing that matters.
I once jokingly said that in the future, it will be ads like:
100% authentic raw organic HUMAN art
$999999
Just like how we're spending more for organic products today with all the artifical crap in our food.
Personally, I think whatever has the highest emotional resonance + long term consistency of quality will win. The problem with AI is just that it's artificial. Anything artificial instantly is slightly less trustworthy and insincere. If a company or person boasts about the wonders of AI and fronts about using it, then every communication from them is suspected to be coming from AI and not them. For example: if you receive a hand-written letter, it will mean more to you than if the same information was sent via email. I believe authenticity + sincerity will become a premium because it is harder to replicate. In life and business, the things that really matter at the end of the day is being liked and trusted. And with too much AI, I don't see that as reliable over the long-term.
Exquisite piece. The question of whether AI can truly author aesthetics, rather than merely generate them, is pertinent. AI is shifting the metaphysical properties that qualify art as ‘art’ from technical perfection to the human plight in creating the artefact itself. Confusing aesthetic generation with true authorship mistakes the map for the territory.
"The digital age has brought creative abundance, and AI accelerates this shift. If machines can execute any artistic technique flawlessly, what’s left for humans? AI can generate aesthetics, but can it truly author them? … Art requires faith that the creator has something to say (and AI cannot speak)."
Had a similar musing in my first essay, where I argue that the necessary condition of taste is epistemological effort—but I think you can use any verb interchangeably so long as it encompasses the human process of its creation:
“While LLMs can mirror the mechanics of epistemological methods to high standards of logical validity, they are yet to replicate the epistemology of human inference in culture markets. Masters of Socratic inquiry, they can perform syntactic deeds perfectly—but they lack semantic grounding. Acquiring taste is antithetical to LLMs because it requires irreducible elements of human epistemology. When ChatGPT generates a sonnet ‘in the style of Shakespeare,’ it doesn’t grapple with the existential weight of Macbeth or the hormonal frenzy of Romeo and Juliet. It apes patterns and arranges syntax from cosmic gulfs of context, but is blind to the human struggle that birthed it. Optimising for taste, through the use of LLMs, denies our capacity to cultivate new sensibilities—we are left merely to cater to old ones.”
Since AI has perfected the endpoints, aesthetics, culture, and taste are now about the journey rather than the destination. It's about the verb, not the noun—because 'doing' part is inherently human.
Solid take. I think having a point of view on the world, and striving for originality, will elicit an aesthetic sense. Without a core belief and having the craft to consistently and intentionally express it, then people can easily see through the work.
This is brilliant. And hopeful too : humans, I believe, will always find a way to assert their difference and « belong » to the cool people. AI simply cannot cancel that.
Brilliant essay. Thank you. What I'm most concerned with now, though, is that as the world shifts to more ready-made aesthetics, we'll lose the capacity to do the real work of authoring our own. AI and social media perpetuate the illusion of easy mastery. But, building an aesthetic, as I understand it, is an inescapably full stack phenomenon. I'd imagine that this is one of the reasons why Linear's design has been copied so much. It's not just that they demonstrate mastery of UI design, it's also what their app architecture reveals about their deep understanding of project flows.
Definitely, a strong aesthetic has a coherence of values and principles underlying its visible or sensory qualities (as you point out with Linear’s case). I’m optimistic that this sense of coherence requires a human quality, at least for the near future. Undoubtedly a difficult effort, but it is the task at hand.
I admire what you’re exploring here. Your work hits close to something I’m wrestling with too—especially the idea that authorship is evolving under the pressure of AI learning and aesthetic compression.
From what I’ve seen, the dullness of AI output isn’t just a technical limitation—it’s a mirror of the broader laziness in intent, from both creators and consumers. It’s all moving faster, but often with less conviction.
Where I feel most aligned with your thinking is in this: culture isn’t just observed, it’s shaped. And if we’re shaping culture through creation, then real ethics—earned ethics, not symbolic ones—have to be part of that process. That’s the mission behind my own work, and I’m still in the early phases of articulating it properly.
I’m coming at this from a less technical angle, probably more mythic than infrastructural—but there’s clear overlap in the deeper questions. You’ve already sparked a lot for me, just a few days in to subscribing. Very much looking forward to more.
The creators of aesthetics are true visionaries who aren’t afraid to step away from the crowd and emit their distinct colourful radiance. Meeting people with this glow is incredibly impactful and memorable, leaving me with no doubt that their essence (aesthetic) will radiate far and wide.
Brilliant. Something I've thought about as well, that individual art pieces (digitally reproduced) hath become a commodity. The art itself now isn't what it used to be, but it's now in the decisive overall vision and aesthetic of a brand; in a certain feel, perhaps? Is that what you mean with "artistry has zoomed out"? Thanks for writing all of this out.
Glad it resonates! Attempting to make sense of the world and where it's going.
Yes, that's the gist. I get the sense we will keep zooming out to the level of human ingenuity and intent (and this will be a moving target). As of now at least, singular AI-generated works feels the most devoid of this, but a body of work is abstracting to a higher level and presenting us with an overall aesthetic sensibility. Some nuances depending on the medium of creation, but expect this to continue.
So interesting. Do you think there will keep being a strong "anti AI art" movement of people who demand some sort of proof of Authenticity to support it? Or that a counter-trend will get stronger of more raw, humble human art? An imperfect aesthetic or will that not matter, you think?
In general I think every kind of thing will bifurcate — the middle will fall out — there’ll be flights toward the only human end and also the overtly AI-assisted end. Ultimately I still think aesthetic matters for both, but on the AI end it might be the only thing that matters.
I once jokingly said that in the future, it will be ads like:
100% authentic raw organic HUMAN art
$999999
Just like how we're spending more for organic products today with all the artifical crap in our food.
Personally, I think whatever has the highest emotional resonance + long term consistency of quality will win. The problem with AI is just that it's artificial. Anything artificial instantly is slightly less trustworthy and insincere. If a company or person boasts about the wonders of AI and fronts about using it, then every communication from them is suspected to be coming from AI and not them. For example: if you receive a hand-written letter, it will mean more to you than if the same information was sent via email. I believe authenticity + sincerity will become a premium because it is harder to replicate. In life and business, the things that really matter at the end of the day is being liked and trusted. And with too much AI, I don't see that as reliable over the long-term.
Exquisite piece. The question of whether AI can truly author aesthetics, rather than merely generate them, is pertinent. AI is shifting the metaphysical properties that qualify art as ‘art’ from technical perfection to the human plight in creating the artefact itself. Confusing aesthetic generation with true authorship mistakes the map for the territory.
"The digital age has brought creative abundance, and AI accelerates this shift. If machines can execute any artistic technique flawlessly, what’s left for humans? AI can generate aesthetics, but can it truly author them? … Art requires faith that the creator has something to say (and AI cannot speak)."
Had a similar musing in my first essay, where I argue that the necessary condition of taste is epistemological effort—but I think you can use any verb interchangeably so long as it encompasses the human process of its creation:
“While LLMs can mirror the mechanics of epistemological methods to high standards of logical validity, they are yet to replicate the epistemology of human inference in culture markets. Masters of Socratic inquiry, they can perform syntactic deeds perfectly—but they lack semantic grounding. Acquiring taste is antithetical to LLMs because it requires irreducible elements of human epistemology. When ChatGPT generates a sonnet ‘in the style of Shakespeare,’ it doesn’t grapple with the existential weight of Macbeth or the hormonal frenzy of Romeo and Juliet. It apes patterns and arranges syntax from cosmic gulfs of context, but is blind to the human struggle that birthed it. Optimising for taste, through the use of LLMs, denies our capacity to cultivate new sensibilities—we are left merely to cater to old ones.”
Since AI has perfected the endpoints, aesthetics, culture, and taste are now about the journey rather than the destination. It's about the verb, not the noun—because 'doing' part is inherently human.
Agreed, thanks for sharing your thoughts and eloquent quote!
This essay feels eerily prescient now that this Ghiblification craze is in full swing
I feel validated for some of my whole-hearted theories that come early :) thanks for reading!
Solid take. I think having a point of view on the world, and striving for originality, will elicit an aesthetic sense. Without a core belief and having the craft to consistently and intentionally express it, then people can easily see through the work.
absolutely, a few ways to describe it but distinction is the hardest and yet most necessary thing
This is brilliant. And hopeful too : humans, I believe, will always find a way to assert their difference and « belong » to the cool people. AI simply cannot cancel that.
Ty! I agree, we will find a way, the way will keep changing and part of game is figuring it out without succumbing to the noise
Brilliant essay. Thank you. What I'm most concerned with now, though, is that as the world shifts to more ready-made aesthetics, we'll lose the capacity to do the real work of authoring our own. AI and social media perpetuate the illusion of easy mastery. But, building an aesthetic, as I understand it, is an inescapably full stack phenomenon. I'd imagine that this is one of the reasons why Linear's design has been copied so much. It's not just that they demonstrate mastery of UI design, it's also what their app architecture reveals about their deep understanding of project flows.
Definitely, a strong aesthetic has a coherence of values and principles underlying its visible or sensory qualities (as you point out with Linear’s case). I’m optimistic that this sense of coherence requires a human quality, at least for the near future. Undoubtedly a difficult effort, but it is the task at hand.
I admire what you’re exploring here. Your work hits close to something I’m wrestling with too—especially the idea that authorship is evolving under the pressure of AI learning and aesthetic compression.
From what I’ve seen, the dullness of AI output isn’t just a technical limitation—it’s a mirror of the broader laziness in intent, from both creators and consumers. It’s all moving faster, but often with less conviction.
Where I feel most aligned with your thinking is in this: culture isn’t just observed, it’s shaped. And if we’re shaping culture through creation, then real ethics—earned ethics, not symbolic ones—have to be part of that process. That’s the mission behind my own work, and I’m still in the early phases of articulating it properly.
I’m coming at this from a less technical angle, probably more mythic than infrastructural—but there’s clear overlap in the deeper questions. You’ve already sparked a lot for me, just a few days in to subscribing. Very much looking forward to more.
Great piece Anu, thank you for sharing.
The creators of aesthetics are true visionaries who aren’t afraid to step away from the crowd and emit their distinct colourful radiance. Meeting people with this glow is incredibly impactful and memorable, leaving me with no doubt that their essence (aesthetic) will radiate far and wide.