Mahroof
How Gag City is changing the negative stigma of AI Art
2023 has been the year where AI art has peaked in popularity and has been the talk of town in recent months. But what exactly is AI art, why do artists and creatives despise it and how has a fictional kingdom called “Gag City” made by Nicki Minaj fans helped flip the negative narrative.
But firstly, what exactly is AI art? AI stands for artificial intelligence and is human intelligence that is processed by computer machines. Language processing, speech recognition and image generation all fall under AI’s capabilities. The most common used AI art system is DALL-E which is a text to image system that can create different types of images such as photorealistic images and it can edit already existing pictures. In 2022 AI art became extremely popular and accessible with advances in user friendly tools like DALL-E which could finally create high quality images based on prompts. However, the creative art industry has expressed its hatred for AI art for a few reasons with the first one being lack of authenticity. Some artists argue that AI-generated art lacks the personal touch, emotional depth, and unique perspective that human artists bring to their work. They may feel that AI lacks the ability to truly understand and convey complex emotions or experiences. “I just feel like AI art although it’s fun and interesting and like I guess it does show a collective of what humanity views as art, it just isn’t on the same level as a real artist but then again some people say that about digital artists compared to traditional art like painting or drawing” says Theo a 20-year-old writer and digital artist. Another reason why some artists dislike Ai art is concerns about job displacement and the idea that Ai art could replace human artists. Some artists may worry about the impact of automation on their livelihoods and the value placed on human creativity. There are also ethical concerns related to the of Ai in art, such as issues surrounding intellectual property, originality, and the potential for automated systems to replicate and manipulate already existing works without permission. Getty images, a commercial website that users can purchase the rights to images have made accusations that Stability AI another text to image AI system used twelve million images without permission to train the image generation tool.
It’s clear that Ai has a bad reputation in the art world however “Gag City” a fictional, pink cyber futuristic city created by the “Barbz” which is what Nicki Minaj’s fandom is called has social media in a chokehold and has been changing the narrative that all AI art is bad. Gag City’s name derives from the LGBTQ plus slang “gag” which means to be in awe of something so much that you’re losing your mind and gagging. Gag City seems to be based on “Floptropica” another fictional place that was created by users on TikTok that often use feminine and LGBTQ plus meme references. Users on the social media platform X first started to post Ai generated images of Gag City that were based on Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 album cover art after Nicki posted on X saying “Y’all r going to GAG CITY”. The AI generated images are often reference real life landmarks and include real celebrities such as this one video of Rihanna being projected onto the “Barbz Khalifa” a parody of the actual Burj Khalifa and Rihanna was projected onto the real building. Other pictures show celebrities like Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey and Dakota Johnson appearing in Gag City, and they are generated with all pink style which is a signature colour of Nicki Minaj.
Gag City's influence extends beyond its aesthetic appeal. It exemplifies a broader trend in the music marketing industry where AI-generated art is becoming a powerful tool for visual branding and identity. The vibrant and unique visuals associated with Gag City contribute to the creation of a distinctive brand image for Nicki Minaj, challenging traditional notions of how artists connect with their fan base. The impact of Gag City and the broader AI art trend on the music marketing industry is reinforced by statistical insights. The emphasis on innovation as a growth driver, with brands prioritizing innovation growing at 16% higher rates, underscores the transformative potential of AI in marketing. CEOs and executives recognizing innovation as a top priority further solidify the importance of embracing novel approaches like AI-generated art to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving music industry.
Supporters of artists are actively boycotting AI art and NFTs (non-fungible tokens), signifying a divergence within the creative community. Concerns about authenticity, job displacement, and ethical considerations have prompted these artists to resist the integration of AI into their craft. The perceived lack of a human touch, coupled with fears of automation replacing traditional artistic endeavours, has fuelled the boycott. Additionally, ethical qualms surrounding NFTs, including issues of intellectual property and unauthorized use, contribute to the resistance against this emerging digital art landscape. However, Gag City seems to be an acceptable form of AI art. “I feel like with Gag City it isn’t really infringing on real art or taking away from artists, but I have seen some AI art that looks really similar to other artists, and I think that’s because the program uses real images to like train itself” says Theo.
In conclusion, Gag City emerges as a revolutionary force challenging the negative stigma associated with AI art. Despite widespread apprehensions within the creative community, this fictional cyber-futuristic realm, born from the enthusiasm of Nicki Minaj's Barbz, has become a symbol of acceptance and innovation. By seamlessly blending real-world landmarks and celebrities with AI-generated aesthetics, Gag City redefines the narrative, demonstrating the harmony between human creativity and artificial intelligence. It transcends traditional boundaries, not only reshaping perceptions in the art world but also influencing the music marketing industry. While some digital artists actively boycott AI art and NFTs, Gag City stands as an exception, showcasing the transformative potential of AI in collaboration with human ingenuity