The Value of Authentic Human Creations

No pain no gain

We live in the age of generative AI. It might not feel like it yet. But it's here. Kicking this off with a sports analogy might sound obscure, but if you’d be so kind, allow me to draw a comparison to the process of experiencing and recovering from an injury. Every human being is subconsciously aware of the inherent risk that something life altering might happen to us.  At some point when you're least expecting it, it hits you with blunt force. You're knocked off balance, and with each passing second as you regain your composure, you become more accepting of the reality that surrounds you. Extending this line of thinking, we might equate this experience with the stages of and athlete's rehabilitation.  

Stages of Rehabilitation

• Phase 1 - Control Pain and Swelling

• Phase 2 - Improve Range of Motion and Flexibility

• Phase 3 - Improve Strength & Balance

• Phase 4 - Sport-Specific Training

• Phase 5 - Gradual Return to Full Activity

Nationwide Children’s explains in detail in this excellent article. When you first get injured, there's an immediate rush to gain control of the situation. Similarly, when you realize Artificial Intelligence is infused in every product and service you interact with, you'll want to minimize the effect on your environment (control). Then you consider how this might affect your quality of life, your business or your career (flexibility). As you get more familiar with best in class tools like Gemini, ChatGPT or Anthropic, you refine/strengthen your skills (balance). As you continue to grow your knowledge you may specialize or build divisions within your company to capitalize on the potential for efficiencies gained (trained).  And finally, reach a level of stability and acceptance of what you + AI actually looks like on a broader time horizon.  

But you’re not some digital human who plays epic games 24-7 and blogs about AI generated art. Well, maybe your are. Regardless, there's a solid chance are you’re just a regular human artist with human needs and the potential for creative work.  

So when Big Data reaches AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), AI technology takes over, and AI agents complete all of our busy work for us, what now? What increases in value when the AI algorithms remove the mundane, manual and time consuming work? Will we marvel at the AI illustrator that wins a competition against the most savvy human illustrators available?  Or, do we draw a clean line between a what is an AI art creation, what is an authentic human creation, and be intentional to celebrate the latter?  

What it means to be human?

We are complex beings, capable of massive generational inventions. We humans have also done some pretty jacked up stuff. One of the biggest downfalls of being human in 2024, imho, is how damn difficult we’re made it to decipher the truth. Content creation on the internet used to be about helping others. Forums, Message Boards, and helpful content was the norm.  It would seem crazy if that came back in fashion, right?  Wait, it actually is back in fashion. Just ask the Google Helpful Content Update. What’s old is new again. A refreshing development.  

Human creativity is not merely a skill but a profound expression of the human experience, weaving together art, innovation, and imagination to shape our world in infinite ways. The evolution of human creativity is as documented as it is debated. It is believed that Homo Erectus carved shells for decoration as early as 500,000 years ago. Innovations over the course of hundreds of thousands of years led to elaborate cave paintings, jewelry and tools. 

Speaking of cave paintings, one of my clearest realizations of what it means to be human took place in the four corners region of the US.  We marveled at the colorful complexity of Pueblo cave paintings that were hundreds of years old.  At the same time, we tried to hide our disgust at the crude carvings like “Bill Johnson was here - 1942” and “Carol and Tom Forever”. Then, our guide asked us to look deeper and focus on the crimson figures in the background. Sure enough, the outlines of buffalo, birds and people were from the Anasazi and predated those overlain above them. Then it hit me. What I was actually witnessing was not one but two forms of graffiti.  Our human origins speak to an undying need to create, even if it defaces the creations that precede us.  It's up to us to how we value these expressions.  Pretty jacked up indeed.  

Human Creativity and Innovation

So how do authentic human creations influence innovation? Let's look at music as an example. Music is part of the natural world. It surrounds us in nature. Recordings from the Great Pyramid reveal a consistent tone of Bb.  Birds chirp collectively to a pattern, a language of sorts. The heart simply beats. Eventually, human curiosity led to the invention of ram's horns and bone flutes.  Continued evolution led to the invention of strings, woodwinds and percussion. Eventually, new understandings of metallurgy led to a new type of instrument, brass.  When they all come together, a symphony emerges. Led by the composition of the human mind.  

This is an authentic human creation without question.  But along the way, there were doubters. Some thought there was no room for these the brass instruments!  They would certainly that overpower the strings. AI feels similar.  That humans will still be the composers, but they will have the power of technology at their fingertips.  In reality, there will be many new forms of art, and it's our job to distinguishing characteristics of genuine human art, and assign value accordingly.  

But even music has evolved over the years.  It wasn’t until the Moog hit the scene, complex drum machines like the tr-808, then the synthesizer that music began its evolution from a performance by many enjoyed to an audience of many - to a performance by one to be enjoyed by one. Once entire productions could be generated on a computer, specialized players were no longer needed.  In today’s business of music, players, songwriters and even now publishers are struggling to thrive. Streaming has flipped the model on its head. In the 60’s a band like the Beatles could reach legend status without even touring. Now, if you don’t tour you work a second job like an NFL football player in the 70’s. 

How has this digital influence affected the environment of creative expressions? 

Does the musical output now have more or less value?  

Carrying this across to other art forms.  If AI creates a songbook, do we value the same as a self published collaboration between flesh and blood humans?

What about a painting, a poem - How do we value these expressions? 

Exploring the Intersection of Art and Technology

So this brings about a host of interesting questions:

What is the impact of technological advancements of human creations?  

What type of collaborations will be see between the artists and technology?

Do we still need to budget millions of dollars for Giselle when an AI model costs nothing?

Will there be a digital revolution in artistic expression, or a severe pushback to a more simple time?  

Where do we draw the line between with is an Authentic Human Creation, and that of a machine?   

This came up on a recent interview with Lex Fridman and OpenAI CEO Co-Founder Sam Altman. Sam was asked about the artists and creators who whose jobs will be replaced by AI.  His analogy was a painter fearing the invention of photography. Once the value of photos was well understood, we had room for both high-quality paintings and high-quality photos. Now, they are both respected as reputable art and artists. AI will be no different (he believes).  There will just be AI creations, still driven by the input of a human.  

We will likely witness the blending of more traditional art forms with modern technologies.  Perhaps a singer with a unique voice will us an AI tool to fill a gap with melody creation. A bandleader might prompt a complex baseline using AI, then layer recordings of real instruments to complete her composition.  A graphic artist might use authentically created art, but enlist the aid of AI to weave the storyline together and add synthetic narration to complete the work.  

Regardless of of the challenges and opportunities that we face in the digital age of art, the boundaries between human and artificial creativity will continue to be tested.  The day when the line is so blurred that we can no longer tell the difference, will be a sad day for humanity.  

Legal and ethical debates around AI-generated art, music and writing

In order to enable language models to learn on their owns, foundational models need to train on incredible volumes of data. AI departments crawled the internet, social channels, read novels and media sites - allegedly content behind paywalls. When details emerged, lawyers emerged with them. News of a potential shape shifting lawsuit broke just before the the new year when The New York Times sued OpenAI for copyright infringement. To be continued!

The Power of Collaboration

At American Songbooks we believe in embracing technology, but not to the detriment of Authentic Human Creations. As humans we have built a legacy of collaboration, and these partnerships are necessary for our continued evolution. We have a responsibility to support and nurture the development of true art. We also bear the weight of honoring historical perspectives on human creations and our cultural heritage. It’s possible to adapt to the innovations that remove the mundane and manual and increase the quality of our lives, while maintaining awareness and providing resources that remind us of the value of genuine human artistry. Only then will we have the ability to inspire future generations to think uniquely and look outward.  Otherwise, what a boring world this will be!  

Would you like to support a human creation from our community? Purchase a copy of the Songbook, “Why Are You Out of School?” for the little one in your life.