I don’t want to claim that creating the right image is no effort.
I want to focus on the creative part of the process where the message is expressed. Internet memes are almost by definition low effort to create, since anyone can use a meme-generator or use an image creation tool to use a well established template. That means you can focus on the message/observation that the image should convey.
I can’t paint that well, but I can make jokes about observations I make. That is what I consider to be the creative process that matters in meme communities, since the actual images are ripped from stock images or pop culture.
AI art makes it possible to create images that most people wouldn’t be able to create by hand (or more traditional image creation software). But that part isn’t really important in meme communities, where the form is less important that the message.
It’s kind of the problem with AIs in a nutshell: All form, no context or meaning.
Thats a fair point. “Ai art” might be a meme but ai art on itself a meme does not make!
It makes sense its posted so much because of the low barrier for entry to make something looks good in a glance. Its excellent for generating fake internet points. But a meme is much more like that, its an evolution of fluid speech and expressive communication.
That making memes is easy isn’t important towards its value but mandatory of we don’t want to go back to the times where written language was exclusive to the upper classes.
Lemmy has in many ways an anti-ai bias against the shortcomings of last years demos, For space supposedly with so many tech oriented progressives that annoys me quite a bit, but i fully agree with you on your stance.
Ai art could be a meme if made into one, but if its not then it should not be in a place for memes.
I’m glad that you get my point. Yet, I don’t want to be too gatekeep-y with the status of a “meme” (I really like the original concept, since it is a very useful… meme).
I really want to focus on the message to be brought across. And in most AI generated images I perceive a very lazy thought process behind the idea.
