AI draws pictures!? Introducing the copyright and usage of image generation AI

I think there are many people who think that the job of drawing is unique to humans.

However, in recent years, AI has become able to take on the task of drawing pictures, and creative pictures using AI are being created one after another. And there are people who are surprised at the paintings created by AI and buy them at a high price.

This time, I will introduce painting generation by AI.

Copyright of paintings drawn by AI

There are no clear rules as to whether or not images created by AI can be copyrighted, but currently copyrights are not recognized unless they are modified by humans.

Under the Copyright Act, a work is defined as “a creative expression of thought or sentiment that falls within the literary, academic, artistic or musical realm.”

Paintings created solely by AI are considered non-copyrightable because they do not express “thoughts or feelings”.

Experience it yourself! 6 sites that can generate paintings with AI

There are many sites that can actually generate paintings with AI.

Here are 6 sites and apps that I highly recommend.

1. “midjourney” that can draw high quality pictures
2. “dream” that can specify the style of painting
3. Easy image generation request on line “Drawing Bari Gutto Kun”
4. “Fotogenerator” for professional-level pictures from simple drafts
5. Coloring of pictures is automated with AI “Petalica Paint”
6. Generating avant-garde pictures one after another “Art42”

I will explain each site.

① “Midjourney” where you can draw high quality pictures

midjourney is a painting creation AI available via Discord.

By entering a keyword, it will create a painting that matches that keyword.

4 patterns of paintings are generated each time, and you can select the painting that suits your taste.

Usage

1. Create a Discord account.
2. Go to Midjourney’s page and accept the invite.
3. Log into your Discord account.
4. Enter the “newbies- (number)” chat and enter a keyword.

All you have to do is wait for midjourney to automatically generate the painting.

② “dream” that allows you to specify the style of painting

Dream is an application that automatically generates paintings by AI when you enter a keyword.

A major feature of dream is that you can specify the style of painting, so you can select a style such as “realistic” or “mystical” after entering a keyword.

Usage

1. Open the dream app and tap the “Get Started” button.
2. Enter keywords in the input form.
3. Choose a style.

With the above steps, dream’s AI will automatically generate a painting in the style you selected.

③ Easy image generation request on line “Oekakibari Gutto-kun”

Oekakibarigutto-kun is a chatbot that can use image generation AI “Stable Diffusion” through LINE chat.

If you enter a keyword, text, style of painting, etc. on the chat, it will automatically create a painting along it and send it via chat.

Usage

1. Add Oekabari Gutto-kun as a friend.
2. Send keywords and style of painting you want the talk to draw.

With this alone, AI will generate a painting.

  ④ Turn simple drafts into professional-level pictures with “Fotogenerator”

Fotogenerator is a site that cleans up drafts and finishes pictures.

In particular, human faces can be painted with high precision.

Usage

1. Create a draft from the Tool column if you only use a computer, or from the Input column if you use a mouse or pen tablet.
2. Press the Process button and wait until the painting is completed.

In a few seconds, a painting with a clean draft will be displayed in the Output column.

 ⑤ Automate coloring of pictures with AI “Petalica Paint”

Petalica Paint is a service that AI automatically colors line drawings.

It also has functions to finish the rough line drawing and change the coloring style.

Usage

1. Draw a picture directly on the site or upload a picture you drew.
2. Run automatic coloring mode.
3. Choose your favorite from 3 different coloring styles.
4. Manually color the areas of concern.

You can easily color a picture by following the steps above.

⑥ Generate avant-garde pictures one after another “Art42”

Art42 is a site for browsing avant-garde paintings created by AI.

Unlike other painting generation AI introduced this time, instead of specifying keywords here, you can browse AI paintings and register your favorite paintings as favorites.

is enabled to draw

Art painted by AI sells for $432,500

There is an example of a high winning bid for a picture created by AI.

The above picture is a painting created by AI by the artist group “Obvious” based in Paris, France, and has the title “Edmond de Belamy, from La Famille de Belamy”.

This painting was sold at an auction in New York for $432,500, witnessing the magnitude of AI’s influence on art.

Even if a work of art is created by an AI rather than an artist, there are still people who find its value as art in the same way.

AI Generates Rembrandt-Style Paintings

There are also cases where AI has generated a picture that looks like it was painted by Rembrandt.

Microsoft, the Dutch financial institution ING Group, the Rembrandt Museum, the Delft University of Technology, etc. have collaborated on a project called “The Next Rembrandt.”
AI learns Rembrandt’s other works, and not only Rembrandt’s unique way of adding light and shadow, but also the texture of the surface of the work is beautifully expressed.

In this way, if AI has the original data, it will be possible to automatically generate works based on it.

Painting drawn by AI wins contest

This painting is the winner of the digital art category of the art competition held in August 2022.

In fact, this work was not drawn by human hands.

Jason Allen, CEO of board game maker Incarnate Games, created this painting using an AI called Midjourney.

This work was completed by creating hundreds of paintings using Midjourney and further processing using Photoshop and AI.

In response to the AI ​​painting winning, the Internet was surprised by the high quality of the painting created by AI and worried that the painter’s work might be taken away.

Will AI kill the painter’s job?

Creative work can only be done by humans

No matter how much AI can draw a picture, it was generated after AI learned the original picture. For example, if it is a Rembrandt-style painting, AI learns and generates existing Rembrandt paintings. Therefore, the picture itself cannot be said to have originality.

So creative work like making 0 to 1 is still a valuable human job. Therefore, the rise of painting creation AI will not take away the work of human painters.

AI makes the painter’s work more efficient

You can also think that if AI develops, it will support the work of painters.

For example, you can draw your own original picture inspired by the picture created by AI, or you can draw only the border line and automate the coloring work with AI.

In this way, I think AI can expand the possibilities and streamline the work of painters.

summary

Painting creation technology using AI is steadily advancing, and a wide variety of services other than those introduced are being born. There are people who find value in AI paintings in the same way as in paintings made by humans, and a new trend is likely to emerge in the art world.

Also, there are jobs in the creative field that only humans can do. For that reason, rather than losing the job of a painter due to AI, it is likely that they will work together while helping each other.