Artist Santiago Caruso Unveils AI Plagiarism and Profit in Art Community
Argentine artist, Santiago Caruso, known for his vividly dark and fantastical universe, revealed during the 67th FILUG (International Festival of University Graduates) the training methods used by AI to imitate and profit from artists’ works.
Santiago Caruso’s Accomplishments
- “Materia Oscura” (2017)
- Illustrations for other authors’ works
- “The Metamorphosis”, by Franz Kafka
- “The Bloody Countess”, by Alejandra Pizarnik
- “The Horror of Dunwich”, by H.P. Lovecraft
- “Echoes of My Deaths”, by Alejandra Pizarnik
- “Invocations”, by Neil Gaiman
- “The Guest”, by Amparo Dávila
- “Appearances”, by Margo Glantz
Caruso’s Book: “Autoría y Autoencoders”
Free access: https://santiagocaruso.com.ar/autoria-y-autoencoders/
AI’s Exploitation of Artists
Santiago Caruso, during his talk titled “AutorIA: Automatized Cognition,” shared his experience with AI duplicating his artwork. He found approximately 300 pieces on a German company’s database (Lion 5B) used to train AI, including images taken directly from his website.
“They use our work to train models that mimic specific artists. They systematize different authors’ works and then promote the model with a list, claiming these artists are susceptible to creative value imitation.”
The Real Agenda
Caruso, co-founder of Arte es Ética, highlights that tech leaders aim to replace human workers entirely. They seek to synthesize audiovisual production and offer finished pieces directly.
“They want to automate not just production but also distribution in the art world.”
“Cognitive Delegation”
Caruso discusses the broader issue of “cognitive delegation,” where continuous use of AI can lead to cognitive atrophy and loss of memory.
“The concentration of synthesized human capital is poised to replace millions in the job market. Every creative process automated results in uncomplicated, non-complex cognitive functions that risk atrophy.”
He warns about observable neural changes due to over-reliance on AI and emphasizes the tech industry’s goal of substituting human participation in creativity and critical reading.
