The AI is not easy to create.
You’re absolutely correct. Coding is difficult, and as an artist I know virtually nothing about it. However, this is only applicable to the person/people that actually coded and created the AI. The average person who generates AI images is not doing so using a custom model that they made from scratch.
Even typing a prompt takes both skill and imagination. That definition is basically saying art is any expression or application willed into existence by a human.
Imagination, yes. Skill? It depends on what your definition of what being skilled at something is. If it’s simply describing something that you can do, yes. But in terms of describing someone as skilled, at least to me that only applies if they’re considerably above average at the task/activity in question.
If you put a computer in front of someone who’s never been involved with AI art before, told them the basics of how to generate AI art and showed them a few example prompts so they’re not going in completely blind, I can guarantee they’ll eventually generate something that will look “good” by the average Derpi user’s standards in a couple weeks at most if they at least have basic writing, critical thinking and computer skills.
However, take that same person and the same approach but with drawing (telling them the basics, showing a few good examples and ask them to get on with it), there’s a good chance that they won’t make anything even remotely close to being good in a month, maybe even a year. There’s a reason why artists spend years honing their craft, because that is what it takes to truly become skilled at any sort of difficult task, let alone exceptional where you make the hard task look easy. You should know that first hand with the number of art submissions under your tag.
This is always how it works. The value of any art depends on how hard it is to make. I can make AI spit out worthless crap all day, i might randomly get something that has value, only for someone else to make the same thing.
Incorrect. The value of art is either how much someone is willing to pay for it, or how much someone likes the execution of what they see. The method of how the artist got there isn’t a consideration for most people unless they are strictly against AI art or if they want to learn from an artist. Even putting AI aside, there are sketches which are better than fully fledged drawings. A really simple idea executed to perfection is better than a more complicated idea which took longer to do and has more detail, but also more flaws and oversights.
Being an artist is not only about being able to make things, but make things that look good. And how the finished product looks is all most people care about. AI can make images that are passable at a thumbnail size or on a phone, and that is enough for most people unless they have an appreciation for art that goes beyond face value.
Art that is easy for anyone to create is worthless.
If it was really so easy, we’d be flooded.
As far as I know, there’s still some quality control going on. What you see here on Derpi isn’t even close to all the AI art that’s out there. However, it’s unreasonable to ask Derpibooru staff to even attempt to deal with affairs that aren’t happening on their own site if it’s nothing to do with them. They can’t stop AI art being a thing, the only thing they can do is either police it or control how it is shared here. My suggestions and viewpoint on this thread surround things that are happening on this site, rather than as a whole.