I, 20f, and currently studying illustration, and I adore it. It’s always been a passion of mine, and I’m so lucky to be in a position where I get to advance in my study of it somewhat comfortably.
Unfortunately, my studies also come at a point in time where AI art has been solidly on the rise, and we are living through the consequences. There are very few jobs, less each year as they get eaten up, and the competition to get said jobs is near impossible. The art industry has always been competitive, but it is worse now
Despite this, I, as well as a large portion of my fellow students, are strongly against AI art. I have seen friends get laid off and replaced because of it, and I have witnessed long-time professors break down in class out of pure fear for our future. I refuse to support it, for this reason and its effects on the environment, (plus many other reasons but these are the big ones). This is a hill I will die on.
My mother doesn’t understand this, and refuses to learn more about it, despite my pleas.
Now the conflict: Today, she approached me and demanded I take a class on AI Art next semester (which my school has disappointedly begun to offer to students). I told her, once again, that absolutely not; I will continue to create art with my own brain and hands, and refuse to accept anything that does not have the cells of hard human work embedded into it as art. She did not like this
She is now acting passive-aggressively towards me, if not refusing to speak to me at all. She thinks I am throwing my life away. It is my future, and if I doom myself by refusing to let a machine replace me and my fellow creators, so be it, but I do find it unfair to be judged under her critical yet uneducated eye. (Uneducated in the subject, that is.)
That being said, I do somewhat understand her point of view. She wants me to succeed, and as disappointing as it is, AI is the future. She believes that the only way to succeed is to integrate yourself into it, and I can in some way understand that. I won’t hate somebody for wishing the best for me, especially my own mother.
But morally, I cannot do what she wants of me. To turn to AI would be to destroy the integrity I have built in myself and my brand as a human artist, and it is almost dismaying to see my own mother think I cannot succeed without it. I have explained this to her many times, but she refuses to listen, or even attempt to understand.
And to add, if I take an AI class next semester, I will have to give up one of my already-registered classes, all of which I’m already looking forward to.
So. Am I The Asshole for not taking an AI Art class, against my mother’s wishes?
(apologies for the long post, but I find it imperative for people to understand the context of the effects on the art industry and my point of view towards the subject of AI before diving into the conflict itself)
Comments
^^^^AUTOMOD Thanks for posting! READ THIS COMMENT – DO NOT SKIM. This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read this before contacting the mod team.
I, 20f, and currently studying illustration, and I adore it. It’s always been a passion of mine, and I’m so lucky to be in a position where I get to advance in my study of it somewhat comfortably.
Unfortunately, my studies also come at a point in time where AI art has been solidly on the rise, and we are living through the consequences. There are very few jobs, less each year as they get eaten up, and the competition to get said jobs is near impossible. The art industry has always been competitive, but it is worse now
Despite this, I, as well as a large portion of my fellow students, are strongly against AI art. I have seen friends get laid off and replaced because of it, and I have witnessed long-time professors break down in class out of pure fear for our future. I refuse to support it, for this reason and its effects on the environment, (plus many other reasons but these are the big ones). This is a hill I will die on.
My mother doesn’t understand this, and refuses to learn more about it, despite my pleas.
Now the conflict: Today, she approached me and demanded I take a class on AI Art next semester (which my school has disappointedly begun to offer to students). I told her, once again, that absolutely not; I will continue to create art with my own brain and hands, and refuse to accept anything that does not have the cells of hard human work embedded into it as art. She did not like this
She is now acting passive-aggressively towards me, if not refusing to speak to me at all. She thinks I am throwing my life away. It is my future, and if I doom myself by refusing to let a machine replace me and my fellow creators, so be it, but I do find it unfair to be judged under her critical yet uneducated eye. (Uneducated in the subject, that is.)
That being said, I do somewhat understand her point of view. She wants me to succeed, and as disappointing as it is, AI is the future. She believes that the only way to succeed is to integrate yourself into it, and I can in some way understand that. I won’t hate somebody for wishing the best for me, especially my own mother.
But morally, I cannot do what she wants of me. To turn to AI would be to destroy the integrity I have built in myself and my brand as a human artist, and it is almost dismaying to see my own mother think I cannot succeed without it. I have explained this to her many times, but she refuses to listen, or even attempt to understand.
And to add, if I take an AI class next semester, I will have to give up one of my already-registered classes, all of which I’m already looking forward to.
So. Am I The Asshole for not taking an AI Art class, against my mother’s wishes?
(apologies for the long post, but I find it imperative for people to understand the context of the effects on the art industry and my point of view towards the subject of AI before diving into the conflict itself)
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our voting guide here, and remember to use only one judgement in your comment.
OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I refused to take an AI Class at uni next semester, going against my mother’s wishes. It is me going against said wishes that might make me the asshole, since I technically disobeyed orders from my mother, and refuse to budge on my morals that are in direct conflict with hers, despite her actions being in what she believes to be my best interests.
Help keep the sub engaging!
Don’t downvote assholes!
Do upvote interesting posts!
Click Here For Our Rules and Click Here For Our FAQ
Subreddit Announcements
Follow the link above to learn more
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NAH. Your mom doesn’t get you to pick your classes for you, even if she thinks what doing so will save you from financial hardship
NTA. Your mother should not be acting the way she is towards you because of this disagreement.
That said, the course itself may not be the worst idea in the world. I fully understand (and agree with) your stance on it. But how necessary is actually using AI art generation to the course itself? If it’s more just about theory and understanding how the back ends of these models work, I don’t think it would inherently violate your moral stance, since you wouldn’t need to make use of the tools themselves. And even if you have no intention of utilizing the information gained in the course, being able to check off “yeah I know how to do this” on a job application couldn’t hurt.
Naturally if the course makes heavy use of AI art generation, the entire above point is moot.
NTA. It’s your education, not hers. If she thinks AI art is so great then she should take the class herself, not try to force you to take it.
Your schedule is already full, so regrettably you will be unable to acquiesce to your mother’s request.
Perhaps you should send her a doodle depicting her being hypnotized by a computer.
NTA. You established boundaries with her, and are enforcing them.
NTA. It’s a horrible dilemma you (and many of us) are facing. I’m proud of you for standing your ground! I hope you will be able to make a living from your human brilliance, the world needs more of that. I’m in a similar position as a medical writer, have decided to fold since we are being forced to use AI at work, while preparing to change into a different field where my humanity is valued and needed (i.e. trauma therapy, unfortunately the world needs more of that too)
NTA.
If your mom was trying to convince you to do it without passive aggressively attacking you for refusing, I would say no AH here. I understand her stance but as soon as you turn to passive aggressive attacks over not getting your way, you (meaning your mom) immediately become the AH.
Regardless of the AI art debate, she has no right to demand that you do anything. Parents that feel as though they can just demand things from their children are the worst. Like really? What convinced you that you can just act like a jerk, then demand something of your grown ass daughter, and then act entitled and upset when she refuses?
Some parents really act like little babies when it comes to their children
YTA. I went to art school myself. This refusal to learn AI is the equivalent of refusing to learn Photoshop in the 90s or switching to a digital camera from film. Your refusal to use AI does not make the technology go away. You need to learn how to use AI so at the very least you have a more informed opinion. You may also find a, way to use it that’s ethical to you.
Your n t a for having an opinion but you’re not doing yourself any favors.
NTA. Your mother doesn’t know dick about jack. An AI “art” class sounds like the most ridiculous waste of time and money.
Here’s what I remember from art college: learn to draw. Learn the skills. If a job needs you to use a specific kind of tech, it’s way easier for them to teach a skilled artist to use the tech than it is to teach a tech person to make art.
ai might be inevitable, but if that happens then there just wouldn’t be any art jobs at all. Stick to your guns. Make art!
NTA. It’s your education, your career, and your life. You’re an adult. Your mother doesn’t get to dictate your life. She doesn’t get to choose what classes you take. The only classes you need to take are the classes that are required for you to graduate.
Take whatever classes you want. Tell your mother you’ve already signed up for next semester’s classes and you’re not taking the AI art class, end of discussion. (Leave your viewpoints about AI art out of it. While I dislike AI, you come across as awfully sanctimonious, and that’s not helping your case.)
And, it’s not like this is your only chance to take this class. Your opportunities to learn don’t end when you finish school. If, at some point in the near or distant future, you find it a necessity to take an AI art class, you can do so.
NTA
I can understand the rejection you are feeling towards this, 100%.
But I’d like to offer a different perspective you could consider. Taking such a course not because that is what you should be doing later or focusing on BUT instead to learn more about what you won’t be doing, what is it, how does it work and how it doesn’t work; basically what are you up against – so that you can be better prepared to sell and define your value by NOT doing AI art once you get out there.
Basically keep your friends close, your enemies closer…
Also you don’t have to take the class next semester, is there another chance to take it later or in some other format (not even the course from your university).
NTA, and you definitely don’t need classes on AI, as in, it’s easy to use, don’t waste classes on that.
I strongly disagree with your point of view towards the subject of AI art.
However, despite that, you are NTA.
NTA Not only does it go against your principles, but the whole suggestion is an ignorant one and doesn’t deserve your consideration.
NTA. WTF would you need to learn about asking whatever AI program to respond to some prompt, to spit out some trash?
NTA but counterpoint— take the course anyway.
If you truly have accepted that AI is the future, you must learn to understand what you can about it in order to define yourself in this future. You as an artist will exist in the context of generative works, and it will do nothing but improve your understanding of that context and your place opposed to it. By using the tools, you will learn about their strengths and weaknesses and be better able to articulate to yourself, in the dark moments ahead when you feel crushed by the world as all working adults and especially artists and creatives do, why you are doing what you are doing. And you will be better able to defend, debate, explain, and sell your art in the future; as all creatives must.
You don’t have to throw away a chance at education just because you find the subject distasteful. Being taught generative AI doesn’t mean you need to use it. If you surround yourself with only ideas you approve of, you will exist not in the world but in a bubble; this is the point of a liberal arts education. Maybe you will have experiences in that class that make you better able to make your own art in your own way and give you new ideas about your process; not by using those tools but by realizing the experience of using them. Maybe the course will also cover generative techniques that have more intimate involvement by the artist than a mere text prompt, and you might be opened to a broader perspective.
Once again all your feelings are 100% valid and you’re definitely NTA, it’s your choice what courses to take. Be well, and keep making art; artists are the soul of the human race.
NTA. I’ve refused to do assignments involving AI. Tech major, but been an artist my whole life. I’ll take an F before I give in to that bullshit. Though ideally I’d be able to drop or demand a change if it came to that. It’s also silly of her to expect you to change your schedule suddenly, when you’ve already registered for courses. She doesn’t really have a right to make demands of what classes you take anyway, but especially not in that case. Do what you feel is right. This is your life, your education, and your future. It’s not hers to decide.