AI in 2024: A bold new direction for creatives, or a dangerous dead end? [Video]

Artificial intelligence was the trend of 2023, and became trendier than ever in 2024. We’ve seen more creative material produced with generative AI – essentially technology that turns a text description into an image or a video sequence – than in any previous year. And yet, there is still the sense that the real onslaught has yet to begin. It’s like looking to the horizon, seeing a small dust cloud generated by invading forces, and wondering how soon your world is going to change. This year has seen a few advance raids that gave us a few clues.

It has to be said that none of the visions of an AI-driven future that 2024 has offered seem particularly hopeful for artists and creatives – but, beneath all the noise, some hope remains. And at least we’ve had less of the tosh about AI becoming sentient.

Theft or remix?

Perhaps the biggest complaint (there …