AI “artists” argue that AI art is meant to lower the barrier to entry to becoming an artist. But what happens when you have an animal that can paint? That would certainly reveal that argument for what it truly is—a poor excuse not to put in the time and effort. And who better to prove the point than Marley the Northern Rockhopper penguin, as an esteemed artist at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas.
In a video posted by Reddit user bbyxmadi on r/TikTokCringe, we watched with anticipation as Marley’s handler set down a canvas and paint for the eager penguin. She then released Marley, who excitedly leapt from the paint onto the canvas and decorated it with her green footprints. The handler proclaims, “Wow, it’s so beautiful!” and encourages Marley to make more footprints, who responds with a squawk of endearment and continues to create more art.
The handler proudly holds up the artwork and says, “And, there you go, Marley – the best artist in the world.” Marley looks at her artwork in a way that shows us that she’s pleased with what she created.
The video shows that Marley is a bit like all artists. We feel proud and accomplished when we finish our latest masterpiece and reveal it to the world. She has even sold some art! A painting of hers sold for $210, raising money for the Moody Gardens Conservation Fund and several social media giveaways.
If one-of-a-kind artwork can elicit this response from a penguin, imagine how a human artist feels doing the same. That’s the problem with individuals thinking the AI they create online is “art.” In reality, it’s just stealing from other artists. AI models need to be fed art for the prompts to work. And where is the joy in that?
