Artists in the machine | The UoB start-up creating AI-generated art - Eli Prais

There is so much in the news right now about the advancement and excitement
surrounding AI and the possibilities open to us all through programmes such as ChatGPT. 

In this blog we feature Electronic and Electrical Engineering student Eli Prais who has created a start-up project called neur.o.tic which creates art using online AI generators. 

The project has attracted great interest with over 40,000 followers on Instagram and also includes an online clothing shop which features the AI generated designs. To create the artwork featured in this blog, Eli uses art generators such as Midjourney, Nightcafe Studio and Adobe Photoshop.

Eli: In late 2021, I came across the website neuralblender by chance, and after using it for a few minutes, I realised that when I typed in a sentence, it would create a piece of art. I found this idea fascinating, and I decided to start an Instagram page to share my creations. Over time, my page grew and I knew that it had more potential.

I received a grant earlier this year from the University of Birmingham, which helped me to set up my own website, and create adverts to reach a higher audience. 

I also attended a couple of start-up sessions which helped me understand how to develop a social media page into a into a business.

When I first started, AI art generators were a new thing. At the time, we thought that the art that was created was incredible - and in a way, it was, as the AI could understand what we wanted and usually produced art that made sense. 

However looking back on it now, we could see how primitive it was.

The AI's have greatly improved, and as well as this, there are different Machine learning models that each generator uses, so each one has a unique style. 

It has been incredible developing my portfolio and art skills (using paint and photoshop) alongside this new amazing technology, that has been developing at such a fast rate. Seeing the increase of understanding and quality by the AI has been incredible.

It has also been great being a part of the AI world and communities online. One of the websites I use, Nightcafe Studio, is like a social media platform for AI art where people share their creations with each other. 

The main one I use, Midjourney, is Discord based, with lots of channels for talking to other members, and a few channels dedicated to challenges and games.

Of course, I also understand the controversy behind AI art, and the fact that there are lots of people opposed to it. I must say that I do not think that AI art replaces human art. 

The incredible detail that you find in human art, each brushstroke with meaning, I believe will always have a place in society. The main issue I believe most artists have, is that they are worried for their jobs. This worry is extremely justified, as in the current society money is essential for life. But this has always been the case with new technology - old jobs became obsolete, and new ones were created. 

We are at such a point in time where AI is really emerging and has the potential to outclass humanity at everything. I believe that we may even need to evaluate the way that our society works, if this becomes the case. There is far more on this topic, but too much to include here!

What is it like to be a start-up founder?

The best part is the creative control that I have. If I have an idea for a piece that I want to create, it doesn't have to align with anyone else's vision, just mine. The worst part is to do with the fact that it is Instagram based, which has almost no customer service or creator help, and how much reach each post gets can really fluctuate.

I have worked with a band to create an album cover for them, and it was great helping to realise their vision.

I wish I knew more about starting a business! I am generally more academically focussed, this is the first business venture that I have set out on, and when I started sharing my art I never thought that it would become as big as it has.
Persistence and quality. 

I have leaned that it is often that I want to get a certain amount of pieces posted in a certain time, but I have to make sure that they are all of a good quality, otherwise they will be detrimental to the business - so I have needed to find the right balance.

Find out more about Neur.o.tic by visiting the Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/neur.o.tic/ 

With thanks to Eli Prais
Introduced by Bob Lee