this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2024
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When the purpose of gathering the data is to create a tool that destroys someone's livelihood, the act of training an AI is not merely "observation". The AIs cannot exist without using content created by other people, and the spirit of open source doesn't include appropriating content without consent - especially when it is not for research or educational purposes, but to create a tool that will be used commercially, which open source ones inevitably will be, given the stated purpose is to compete with corporate models.
No argument you can make will convince me that what open source AI proponents are doing is any less unethical or exploitative than what the corporate ones are. Both feel entitled to artists' labour in exchange for no compensation, and have absolutely no regard for the negative impacts of their projects. The only difference between CEO AI tech bros and open source AI tech bros is the level of wealth. The arrogant entitlement is just the same in both.
Giving all people a tool to help them more effectively communicate, express themselves, learn, and come together is something everyone should get behind.
I firmly believe in the public's right to access and use information, while acknowledging artists should retain specific rights over their creations. I also accept that the rights they don't retain have always enabled ethical self-expression and productive dialogue.
Imagine if copyright owners had the power to simply remove whatever wasn't profitable for them from existence. We'd be hindering critical functions such as critique, investigation, reverse engineering, and even the simple cataloging of knowledge. In place of all that good, we'd have an ideal world for those with money, tyrants, and all those who seek control, and the undermining of the free exchange of ideas.
The problem is that undermining artists by dispersing open source AI to everyone, without having a fundamental change in copyright law that removes power from the corporations as well as individual artists, and a fundamental change in labour law, wealth distribution, and literally everything else, just screws artists over. Proceeding with open source AI, without any other plans or even a realistic path to a complete change in our social and economic structure, is basically just saying "yeah, we'll sort out the problems later, but right now we're entitled to do whatever we want, and fuck everybody else". And that is the tech bro mindset, and the fossil fuel industry, and so, so many others.
AI should be regulated into oblivion until such a time as our social and economic structures can handle it, ie, when all the power and wealth has been redistributed away from the 1% and evenly into the hands of everyone. Open source AI will not change the power that corporations hold. We know this because open source software hasn't meaningfully changed the power they hold.
I'm also sick of the excuse that AI helps people express themselves, like artistic expression has always been behind some impenetrable wall, with some gatekeeper only allowing a chosen few access. Every single artist had to work incredibly hard to learn the skill. It's not some innate talent that is gifted to a lucky few. It takes hard work and dedication, just like any other skill. Nothing has ever stopped anyone learning that except the willingness to put the effort in. I don't think people who tried one doodle and gave up because it was hard are a justifiable reason to destroy workers' livelihoods.
This isn't undermining artists, it's expanding access and knowledge, enabling individuals to take control of their own destinies. Open-source AI will empower artists, existing artists and newly active or returning artists who give this new medium a shot, by giving them the new tools that will push the frontiers of self-expression and redefine creativity this decade.
100 years ago photographers and filmmakers significantly disrupted the careers of most illustrators, story tellers, and theater companies of the time. Despite this, storytelling and image making exploded, entering a new golden age. Musicians panicked over the use of synthesizers in the 80s too often refusing to work with people involved with synthesizers. As a result, there are fewer drummers today than in 1970, but out of that came hip hop and house. Suppressing that tool would have been a huge cultural loss. Generative art hasn't found its Marley Marl or Frankie Knuckles yet, but they're out there, and they're going to do stuff that will blow our minds. Cutting edge tools and techniques have always propelled art and artists forward. Every advancement a leap forward, leaving behind constraints and enabling more people to pursue their creative aspirations.
That reminds me of a presentation I saw a little while back.
If you want to fight against people's right to freely communicate and express themselves, be my guest, but it's not a fight you can win.