Is AI killing art? No, but the human creative process still matters, Israeli study argues

A new paper from Prof. Amit Zoran of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem argues that generative AI is not killing art but rather stripping away technical barriers, forcing a re-evaluation of what makes human creativity valuable. Published in the journal AI & Society, the paper introduces a 'decoupling thesis' and suggests the future of creativity depends less on output and more on discovery and experience.

A new paper from Prof. Amit Zoran of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem argues that generative AI is not rendering human artists obsolete, but rather stripping away technical barriers so we can rediscover what made creativity meaningful. Published in the journal AI & Society, the paper introduces what Zoran calls the 'decoupling thesis' — that AI makes it possible to produce sophisticated artistic works without undergoing the personal development traditionally required. Zoran, who leads the Hybrid Design Lab at HUJI's School of Computer Science and Engineering, argues that the significance of creativity lies not only in the finished product but also in the experiences that shape artists, audiences, and cultures. The paper highlights creative projects where technology enriches human experiences, such as an interactive tree installation combining smell, taste, visual projections, and AI-generated music. Zoran concludes that instead of making human creativity irrelevant, AI may offer an opportunity to rediscover what makes it meaningful.