Low Bow Tech

AI art has gotten so good, it’s already beating human artists at their own game. At this point, there’s no questioning the visual appeal of AI-generated art. However, beneath the dazzling visuals lies a deeper question: can something created by an algorithm ever carry the same weight as a work born out of human intent?

No matter how advanced AI becomes, this missing ingredient keeps its art fundamentally different from ours.

What Makes AI Art Impressive?

An AI-generated piece of art winning first place at the Colorado State Fair’s digital arts competition in 2022 is enough to dispel any doubts as to how impressive AI-generated art is. AI art generators like MidJourney, DALL·E, and Stable Diffusion have simplified art creation so much that anyone can produce intricate, breathtaking images by simply typing a few words.

It always amazes me when I see how AI is able to blend styles, experiment with forms, and create visuals that feel both familiar and entirely new. It’s not just fast—it’s wildly creative, often surpassing expectations of what a machine can do. Need a futuristic cityscape bathed in golden light? Done. A surreal portrait inspired by Renaissance styles? Easy. The combination of speed and complexity is undeniably impressive.

Yet, as impressive as its creations are, the beauty is only skin deep. Beneath the surface, there’s something undeniably missing—something that makes human art uniquely meaningful.

The Missing Ingredient: Intent

What separates a mesmerizing piece of art from something that simply looks good? The answer often lies in intent. Intent is the driving force behind why a human artist creates. It’s the story they want to tell, the emotion they’re trying to convey, or the message they hope to communicate.

AI, for all its brilliance, doesn’t have intent. When Jason Allen used MidJourney to create his award-winning piece, the tool didn’t decide what it wanted to express. It didn’t have a story to tell or a vision to share. It simply followed a set of instructions and generated an image based on patterns and data.

This lack of intent keeps AI art from crossing the boundary into truly human creativity. While it can mimic the aesthetics of meaning—creating visuals that evoke emotions or remind us of human-made masterpieces—it can’t feel, reflect, or purposefully innovate. Intent is a deeply human quality, tied to our experiences, beliefs, and desires. Without it, art becomes a product of process rather than purpose.

Why Intent Matters in Art

Intent is what transforms art from a mere visual spectacle into something deeply resonant. When an artist creates with intent, they’re communicating—whether it’s a political message, a personal struggle, or simply a sense of beauty. This intent gives art its ability to connect with audiences on a beyond-the-surface level, sparking emotions and inspiring reflection.

Consider Picasso’s Guernica, a chaotic and haunting depiction of war’s horrors. It’s not just the imagery that gives it power; it’s the knowledge that Picasso created it as a response to the bombing of a Spanish town during the Spanish Civil War. He intended to condemn violence and provoke thought. Without that intent, the painting might still be visually impressive, but it wouldn’t carry the same emotional weight.

This is where AI falls short. It can produce works that look like Guernica, but they would lack the personal conviction, the historical context, and the emotional urgency that make the original so impactful. Intent bridges the gap between the creator and the audience, turning a visual piece into a shared human experience.