A student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks was arrested for criminal mischief after eating AI art in a protest at an exhibition.
Artificial intelligence has started playing a big role in different parts of the creative space. AI-generated songs and artists have started appearing on Spotify, while AI-generated art and photos touched up by AI have been regularly used across social media.
There has been a fair bit of backlash against the rise of AI in creative outlets, with plenty of Spotify and YouTube Music subscribers ending their subscriptions until a filter is implemented. Big brands like Coca-Cola have also been under fire for using AI in their annual advert for the holidays.
Over at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, artist Nick Dwyer had his exhibition interrupted by a protest from fellow student Graham Granger over the use of AI imagery.
Student protests AI art display by eating it
As per the UAF Sun, Granger was detained by police after he had been found “ripping artwork off the walls and eating it in a reported protest,” over Dwyer’s art.
Of the 160 images on display, Granger appeared to have damaged at least 57 of them, with police arresting him for criminal mischief in the fifth degree. He was detained at the Fairbanks Correctional Center and will be in court on January 20.
The images were developed alongside AI, with Dwyer saying this display had been inspired by the “AI psychosis” that he had suffered. “This highlights and embodies a growing trend that can be dangerous or unpredictable which you are not immune to,” he told the UAF Sun.
The reported protest also made it’s way to Reddit, with an account proclaiming to be Dwyer sharing additional images of the damage.
“I’m probably pressing charges and filing a NCO. I shall repair the piece, alot actually went into this install formatting, cropping and the hand cutting/ hanging etc. The subject matter was very personal,” they posted.
Some of the commenters questioned if the damage was “secretly the art piece,” but the proclaimed Dwyer account downplayed that.
“No! I think they are a theatre person and they filmed themselves lol police confiscated their phone. They might/hopefully expelled now. If they come back they are trespassing,” they responded.
As it’s a class B misdemeanor, Granger could be fined up to $5000 and spend at least 30 days in prison.
