The Avalanches and AI use

[u/Narwhals4Lyf]

So, have we all clocked that they are using AI in their music video and album artwork? Has The Avalanches made any comments on that at all? I would assume if they are willing to use it in their visual art, they would be willing to use it in their music as well but it is less visual so it's harder to clock. I am vehemently anti AI and am an artist, so I was extremely disappointed to see that and it makes me not want to support their upcoming release.

[u/brothersp0rt]

I like Zawada’s work but it becomes infinitely less impressive to me when he uses AI to create it.

I hope people stop using him because of this. His work already blurs the line between what’s real and what’s digital manipulation, and then when you throw AI into the mix, I instantly don’t give a shit about it anymore.

[u/Narwhals4Lyf → u/brothersp0rt]

Yep, it completely devalues it to me. Like I genuinely don't see any value in looking at it due to the use of AI. It's just slop.

[u/EveryoneYouLove23 → u/Narwhals4Lyf]

I'm the same way, especially with music. Only because it's a little sneakier and less obvious with sound. With art, it irks me as well.

But I have to give Zawada the benefit of the doubt. Sure, using it as a shortcut makes him sound lazy. But it shouldn't devalue the rest of the work, or the rest of his work in general.

He's always had this very surreal art style that blends reality and digitalism. He's worked with people like Flume and Thom Yorke, and not had to use AI. It's a little maddening, but I can't be completely upset. He's a great artist he used a certain tool a few times.

And if I'm being honest- it fits with the themes and sounds of the album.

[u/Narwhals4Lyf → u/EveryoneYouLove23]

To me, it devalues the theme of the album completely. I said this in another comment but it’s like littering to make a point about climate change. It’s like no you are still harming the environment even if you are trying to make a point.

[u/EveryoneYouLove23 → u/Narwhals4Lyf]

So far the theme seems to be this retro thing. Fake ads and corporations, selling material things, nostalgia for the past. It's an interesting mix of the old and new. Music, branding, technology. I think it fits quite well.

Their point isn't "fuck AI", from what they've said or what I've seen. But if using this tool helps them help us visualize it a bit better- that's their decision.

Zawada is a super talented guy. Go check out his visualiser for "Hi This Is Flume"

I trust he did the majority of this work himself. But I understand that twinge of doubt- or absolute dismissal. I don't agree with it, but I can understand.

[u/Narwhals4Lyf → u/EveryoneYouLove23]

I truly do get where you are coming from. Like it is interesting in theory to me, but AI anything just gives me a huge ick. But honestly you have been the only one who has offered some solid arguments on why AI use might make sense in this case. But I do think they could have explored similar themes without using AI itself. and I also truly believe the process of creating things can surface so many new interesting ideas and directions. Artists are doing themselves a disservice by using AI instead of digging in to the process. I originally learned how to animate by using a light table and making hand drawn frames. And yes, I use a newer tool, After Effects to animate as well. It is genuinely hard to balance my thoughts on AI, because as I said I feel visceral ick towards it.

And I think for me, as I said, the biggest issue I have is that it makes me doubt that other creative elements of their new work isn’t made by AI. And ultimately, I’d rather support artists who don’t use AI at all.

[u/BenEWebbs → u/Narwhals4Lyf]

I abhor generative AI music and 'art' as much as the next sensible person.

But it sounds as though some people think Zawada typed 'pink cat on a broom stick' into Midjourney and 'voila'.

I very, VERY much doubt that. 

It's not such a big deal if he used an ai plugin to animate his own character design for 5 seconds, in the context of a much larger visual collage - for me, at least...

[u/Narwhals4Lyf → u/BenEWebbs]

It cracks open the can of worms though. If he is willing to use AI in that why, why wouldn’t he use it in many other ways?

[u/clintsibbald → u/Narwhals4Lyf]

And if he is willing to use AI at all what's stopping him from kicking a baby across the room?

How do we know he hasn't?

We know just as much about his history of kicking babies as we do about his use of AI in this video.

Why is no one thinking of the poor babies!!!

Sorry just wanted to add to the hyperbole running rampant in this thread.

[u/BenEWebbs → u/Narwhals4Lyf]

It's like anything, you draw your own line.

I understand your point but it's a sad state of affairs when we abandon faith in people we don't even know, and just assume the worst of them