Kommentar: Dieter Mersch, (Un)creative Artificial Intelligence. Zur Kritik ‘künstlicher Kunst’

Georg Trogemann, Christian Heck, Mattis Kuhn
Oktober 2020

The article by Dieter Mersch criticizes recent art projects that are produced by AI algorithms, which are based on ‘deep learning’ and generative processes. In his opinion, these ‘artificial artifacts’ are based on a naive concept of art as well as a reduced understanding of human and machine creativity.

One can agree with Dieter Mersch’s analysis in many points. Some of the things he criticizes have been controversially discussed within the AI or art for a long time, and not only since ‘deep learning’ and ‘Big Data’ reached the mass media. The essay has provoked a comment from us because the understanding of algorithms and art is too narrow, which in the end throws the baby out with the bath water.