AI is transforming the creative industries, but what does that mean for fine art? On The AI Grapple podcast, I sat down with Amanda McCallister, the artist behind Alice Absolutely, to explore AI’s role in artistic collaboration, authorship, and how AI-generated images reveal unexpected human biases.
Amanda doesn’t see AI as a threat to human creativity - she sees it as a partner. But her journey into AI art has also exposed deeper ethical dilemmas, raising important questions about who owns art, how AI reflects our collective past, and what transparency means in a world where machines generate creative works.
This conversation is a must for anyone grappling with AI’s role in art, storytelling, and creative expression.
AI as a Creative Partner, Not a Replacement
While many artists fear AI will replace human creativity, Amanda approaches it differently. Rather than using AI to generate perfect, polished images, she treats it as a true collaborator -similar to passing a canvas between two artists with different styles.
Her process is highly experimental. Instead of feeding AI detailed prompts, she gives it minimal input-sometimes just a punctuation mark-to see what it generates. She manually refines and completes each piece, layering her own artistic touch through digital and physical manipulation. The final works are always one-of-a-kind originals, ensuring that AI is a tool in her creative process, not the sole creator.
This hands-on approach challenges the common narrative that AI is simply a shortcut for mass-producing art. Amanda proves that AI can enhance artistic expression rather than replace it.
The Unexpected Biases Hidden in AI Art
Amanda’s experiments revealed something startling: AI-generated images reflect deeply ingrained human biases.
During her artistic exploration, she tested how AI would respond when given only place names as prompts. The results were unsettling. When she typed Dresden, AI returned bombed-out ruins. Vietnam produced burning jungles and war imagery.
Afghanistan depicted deserts filled with drones and military presence. Without additional context, AI defaulted to images of conflict and destruction.
This led Amanda to a profound realization: if AI is reflecting these patterns, it’s because this is how we, as a society, have documented history. AI isn’t creating these biases-it’s simply revealing them. This discovery became the foundation of her upcoming book, Artificial Intelligence and the Art of War, which examines how AI-generated images mirror humanity’s collective memory, often prioritizing war and suffering over culture, resilience, and beauty.
The Debate on Authorship and Ownership
Who owns AI-generated art? And does it even matter?
Amanda has a unique approach to authorship. While some artists worry about AI copying their work, she embraces the idea that art is meant to inspire and evolve. She believes that once an artwork is created, it belongs to the world, not just the artist. This perspective challenges traditional ideas of artistic ownership, particularly in an era where AI can generate an image in seconds.
To maintain integrity in her work, she only sells one-of-a-kind pieces, avoiding prints or NFTs. Every AI-assisted artwork she creates requires human intervention - the AI’s output is just a starting point. The final composition, with her manual refinements and finishing touches, is distinctly her own.
For Amanda, AI doesn’t replace artists because it still requires human judgment, decision-making, and storytelling. AI can generate an image, but it takes an artist to give it meaning.
AI’s Role in the Future of Art & Creativity
Rather than resisting AI, Amanda sees it as democratizing creativity, making artistic expression accessible to more people. She believes AI will lower the barriers for aspiring artists who lack traditional training, offering them a new way to bring their ideas to life.
She is particularly excited about AI’s potential in video and animation. As a trained photographer, she sees immense opportunities in AI-generated motion graphics and cinematic storytelling. AI is already making an impact in still imagery, but when it evolves into seamless video generation, it could revolutionize the way artists create moving visuals.
Looking ahead, Amanda believes AI will inspire new artistic movements, much like photography and digital art did in their early days. The tools may change, but the human desire to create and tell stories remains constant.
Authenticity & Transparency in AI-Generated Art
With AI’s growing influence, transparency is more important than ever. Amanda is clear about labeling her work as AI-assisted, believing that honesty is crucial to maintaining public trust. She warns that companies and creators who mislead audiences about AI involvement will face backlash.
She sees AI-generated art as part of the human story, rather than something separate from it. For her, AI is a mirror-it reflects what we feed into it. If AI-generated art lacks soul, it’s because we haven’t yet taught it how to express one. She believes the key to responsible AI use in creative industries is openness, education, and an understanding that AI is only as good as the data and intentions behind it.
Key Takeaways
AI is not a replacement for artists but a tool for creative collaboration. While AI can generate images instantly, it still requires human intervention to refine, reinterpret, and add depth.
Bias in AI art is not a flaw in the technology but a reflection of the biases we have ingrained in our history and culture. AI simply holds up a mirror to the way we document the world, making it a valuable tool for analyzing how we represent events, places, and people.
Artistic ownership is evolving. The traditional idea of authorship is being challenged, but artists who embrace AI as a medium rather than a shortcut are finding new ways to maintain artistic integrity. Amanda’s approach-creating unique, one-of-a-kind pieces-demonstrates how AI-generated art can still exist within the fine art tradition.
Transparency matters. Honest labeling and ethical use of AI are essential for building trust. As AI continues to integrate into the art world, creators who openly acknowledge AI’s role in their work will be at the forefront of shaping how audiences engage with AI-assisted art.
Amanda McCallister’s work challenges our assumptions about creativity, bias, and the role of AI in artistic expression. Rather than fearing AI, she sees it as an extension of human ingenuity, capable of telling stories we might not even realize we’ve been telling.
Her journey reminds us that AI isn’t separate from human creativity-it’s a reflection of it. The question isn’t whether AI should be part of art but how we engage with it responsibly, ethically, and transparently. Stay tuned to The AI Grapple Podcast for more powerful insights about AI or subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch the full video episode.
Connect with Alice Absolutely (Amanda McCallister)
🌐 Website: AliceAbsolutely.com
📷 Instagram: @AliceAbsolutely
📘 Facebook: AliceAbsolutely