How do you feel about the role of AI in art?

Artificial intelligence in art is a topic that sparks heated debate, but for me, it’s pretty straightforward: AI is a tool, not a threat. Like any other tool in an artist’s arsenal—whether it’s a paintbrush, a camera, or digital illustration software—AI can enhance creativity, speed up certain tasks, and even offer unexpected inspiration. But it will never replace the human touch, the soul, or the storytelling behind great art.

AI: The Biggest Disruptor of Our Lifetime

AI isn’t just changing art—it’s reshaping every industry. It’s possibly the biggest disruptor of our lifetime. There’s no holding it back, and there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle. The question isn’t whether AI will change how we create, market, and sell art—it already is. The real question is: how do we, as artists, adapt?

I believe the answer is focusing on our personal brands and being more public. AI can generate images, but it can’t tell your story. It can’t replicate the imperfect, human experiences that shape an artist’s work. People don’t just buy art—they buy into the artist. By sharing the real, raw, and sometimes messy journey behind our work, we create connections that AI simply can’t.

AI as a Tool for Artists

I’ve always believed that artists should embrace new technology, not fear it. I took that approach when I moved from traditional illustration to digital art, and I see AI in much the same way. Instead of spending hours on repetitive tasks, AI can help streamline the creative process, allowing me to focus on the aspects of art I truly enjoy—design, storytelling, and originality.

For example, AI could help generate variations of my Hypno Bat designs, giving me fresh perspectives to refine and make my own. It could suggest new ways to manipulate my black and white op art patterns, acting like a brainstorming partner rather than a replacement. AI can be a fantastic assistant, but it still needs a guiding hand.

One way I personally use AI is in my Dream Journal Series. I have such a hard time remembering my dreams, yet I know they hold an infinite well of subconscious creativity. Dreams are a massive, untapped source of inspiration, blending reality with surreal, unexpected imagery. AI helps me quickly visualise a representation of these fleeting moments before they fade. By blending my dream journal notes with AI-generated visuals, I can capture the essence of a dream and use it as a foundation for new artwork down the track. It’s like having a sketch assistant that helps me grasp ideas I might otherwise lose.

AI Can Help Artists Excel in Areas They Traditionally Hate

Beyond the creative process, AI has another game-changing advantage: it can help artists in areas they traditionally struggle with—or outright hate. Most artists (myself included) didn’t get into this to become expert marketers, accountants, or legal strategists. But if you’re a solo artist, those things matter. AI can act as a virtual assistant, helping with:

• Marketing strategies – AI can analyse social media trends, suggest post ideas, and even help schedule content to maximise engagement.
• Budgeting and legal tasks – It can assist with pricing artwork, managing finances, and even generating contracts.
• Content creation for social media – AI can draft captions, generate hashtags, and refine written content, freeing up time for actual art-making.
• Finding the right opportunities – AI can list great art shows that fit your style, helping you get your work in front of the right audience.

You are limited only by your ability to think up the right questions. Once learned, AI can be like having a whole team of staff that have your back, allowing more time for what truly matters—your art.

The Human Element Can’t Be Replicated

What AI lacks is the deeply personal, messy, and unpredictable nature of human creativity. My art, whether it’s my Uncommon Animals series, my wallpaper designs, or my love for op art, is shaped by my unique experiences—watching a platypus on Kangaroo Island, seeing emus in Roxby Downs, or pulling inspiration from old-school sci-fi films and 90s alternative music. AI can analyse patterns and replicate styles, but it doesn’t know what it feels like to witness nature’s beauty firsthand or to experience the raw energy of a Pixies song live.

Even my career pivot—what I call my “fork in the road” moment—was a deeply personal journey of rediscovering creativity. AI didn’t decide to illustrate Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet or turn my love for obscure creatures into a mission to support endangered species. That all came from lived experience, passion, and an artist’s drive to make something meaningful.

And that’s exactly why artists need to focus on sharing their personal journeys now more than ever. AI will flood the market with generated images, but what it can’t do is build a genuine human connection with an audience. That’s our strength. Our imperfect, real-life experiences will always resonate more than something an algorithm stitched together.

The Ethical Concerns of AI in Art

Of course, AI in art isn’t all sunshine and inspiration. There are real concerns about how AI models are trained, particularly when they scrape existing artworks without permission. As someone who values originality and supports financially struggling artists, I understand the frustration of seeing AI-generated works that mimic real artists without credit or compensation.

This is why I believe AI should be used ethically—trained on properly licensed or freely available work, and always as an aid to artists rather than a way to replace them. If AI-generated art starts flooding the market, making it even harder for artists to make a living, then we have a serious problem. But if artists use AI as a creative assistant, a tool to push boundaries and explore new ideas, then it has potential.

The Future: Adapt, Don’t Fear

The art world is constantly evolving. Photography didn’t kill painting, digital art didn’t erase traditional methods, and AI won’t destroy human creativity. What it will do is change how we work. The best thing artists can do is stay adaptable—using AI where it helps and rejecting it where it harms.

For me, AI is just another tool in the kit, like a stylus or a graphics program. Whether I’m using it to explore surreal dreamscapes, spark new patterns, refine design ideas, or lighten the load of business tasks, the real magic still comes from the artist’s mind. AI might help capture an idea or handle the admin work, but it’s up to the artist to transform it into something meaningful.

And that’s something no algorithm can replicate.