Generative AI as a New Painting Medium: A Re-examination of Creative Subject, Process and Aesthetic Value
Abstract
Current discussions on generative AI painting mostly focus on the binary debate of "whether AI can create" and "who is the author", failing to fully pay attention to its ontological significance as a new painting medium. Taking the history of media evolution as the analytical framework, this study systematically investigates the reconstruction mechanism of generative AI on painting creation. The research finds that the subject of painting creation is transforming from "craftsman" to "curator", the creation process is shifting from linear progression to cyclical iteration, and the aesthetic value standard is turning from "technique priority" to "judgment priority". This perspective reveals the deep reshaping of AI on the internal structure of painting, and provides a new theoretical reference for painting practice and art education in the digital age.
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