Some people believe the current era is the worst of times for art—highly commercialized, with restless markets that cannot tolerate serious, profound works. The present era, especially with the empowerment of generative AI, represents a cyber renaissance. This is the best of times.
Some think that the emergence of generative AI has killed art. Others, like myself, believe that generative AI will bring about a cyber renaissance. This cyber Renaissance will lead humanity into an age of symbiosis with intelligent machines, and the culture and philosophy we produce in this era will be carried into the future.
Years ago, when I created the fan economy website Ratafire, I believed I was promoting the arrival of a golden age of arts and literature, and I wanted to be part of that golden age. Although Ratafire was unsuccessful and has been offline, I became an independent creator. So, whatever changes occur in the creative environment will affect me and every other creator.
Under the wave of AI, generating images, music, videos, and other works has become a reality—even more real than reality itself. Generated images allow everyone to become a painter, generated music lets everyone become a composer, and then, in film and television, everyone can become a director. Even though everything is still in its early stages, the future has arrived. And it’s a future in which everyone can participate. AI hasn’t replaced art; it has enabled every creator to express themselves.
Some might say that AI currently only mimics existing painters’ styles—without paying for it—so what innovation can there be? I believe those using AI are still living, breathing people, and because each person has different aesthetic sensibilities, their works bear distinct personal marks. This is precisely the foundation of the cyber Renaissance.
The Italian Renaissance revived the art and philosophy of ancient Greece and Rome. To elevate their status, the Medici family sponsored artists. So, what kind of art does the cyber Renaissance revive? I believe it revives the democratization of serious art. This serious art doesn’t refer to niche academic art but rather a kind of earnest expression. In my view, genre fiction transformed into AI art, or even AI films, also counts as the democratization of serious art.
For example, science fiction films that previously required massive investment can now be produced by individuals. The art industry is being reclaimed by individuals, further expanding the boundaries of creation. People will discover that AI works created by individuals who tend to express ideas seriously. The first wave of creators to enter this space are all sincerely expressing themselves. This is a sign of healthy development for an emerging industry.
AI is inherently fed by vast knowledge, allowing one to access complex academic achievements and structural knowledge. This knowledge, combined with art and literature, ignites a flame. Suddenly, creators possess doctoral degrees, reaching the frontier of expanding human expression. So, the combination of technology, art, and literature manifests this cyber Renaissance. AI is inherently interdisciplinary.
In this era, becoming a polymath is once again possible. Leonardo da Vinci was a polymath whose breadth of knowledge exceeded that of anyone in his time. But with AI’s assistance, everyone can become a polymath, making the barriers between disciplines thinner. Imagine what kind of art Leonardo would create if he had AI tools.
The cyber Renaissance is not about the stories between Greece, Rome, and religion from the Italian Renaissance period but about the combination of personalized expression and cultural consumption. Everyone, whether creators or audiences, can obtain cultural works customized according to their interests. This is also an unprecedented experience. AI can keenly express each person’s unique circumstances and experiences.
I don’t know if art will drive technological development, but technology will certainly drive artistic development. Take architecture, for example—architectural art changes every time new materials appear. People are shaped by the tools they use and determined by their intellectual pursuits. AI as a tool has already broken the boundaries of too many traditional art tools, emphasizing infinite possibilities.
I’ve always believed that becoming a technological civilization will be the mainstream for civilizations on Earth. Every civilization must undergo a transformation to coexist with technology without being consumed by it. Technological civilization has its unique culture and ideology, being both a tool and purpose. The AI works we create will also become the soil for AI’s future upgrades.
So, become part of this cyber Renaissance as a creator or audience. The boundaries of art have been pushed forward once again, and the finest talents are re-entering this field. Return to the most fundamental core: What do you want to express? What stories do you absolutely have to tell? Listen to the voice deep within your heart, then amplify it.
