AI Art and Me

Oddly enough, that picture was not made with or by AI.

I didn’t do all the work that went into “Hangar 7”. Nikola Tesla, Michael Faraday, and a whole mess of other folks developed the alternating current¹ that ran my computer back in 2016. The computer: the roots of today’s information tech is a great many more topics.

Anyway, I didn’t develop any of the technology involved in making “Hangar 7”. All I did was take 3D models made by a number of folks:

• Nightshift3D
• Serrge
• Stonemason and Stefan Morrell
• 3dwizard

I used at least one DAZ model, too. That’s the company that developed DAZ 3D, software I used for placing and adjusting models, and rendering the scene.

I tweaked several of the surface textures, particularly Serrge’s and Stonemason’s. The original textures for both are fine: but I had something specific in mind for this scene. As usual, I did my own lighting and ‘camera work’.

So, how come I claim copyright on that image?

Basically, it’s because the DAZ user agreement says that it’s okay, in cases like this.

Besides, I did adjust how their surfaces reflect (virtual) light. I also set them in the places you see, worked (at length) on getting the (virtual) lighting the way I wanted it. Finally, I placed, pointed, and adjusted the (virtual) camera.

As I see it, it’s like someone taking objects made by other folks, stacking them in a pile near the Chrysler Building in New York City, taking a picture of them with the skyscraper in the background, and claiming copyright on the photo.

Intellectual Property Rights

Actually, that may not be a good example.

The Chrysler Building appeared in “Marvel’s Spider-Man” (2018), but not in other Spider-Man movies and at least one video game.² I gather that the skyscraper changed hands, and the new owner objected. Seems that trademark licensing and architectural copyright issues were in play. Those are rabbit holes I’m not going to jump down. Not this week.

On the other hand, the virtual models and software I used while putting that picture together are sold/provided (another legal tangle) with the understanding that folks are going to use them the way I did.

So I’m not going to fret over the remote possibility that hordes of lawyers are going to line up, in hopes of extracting — I’d better stop now.

Finally, a tip of the hat to someone I talked with on Monday. He’s a digital artist who is none too fond of how AI is being used. His complaint isn’t the newfangled technology. It’s folks telling AI to slap together something, taking the assembled bits and pieces of other folks’ work that the software found, and saying ‘I made this’.

I see his point, and agree.

I also agree with what one of my daughters said. AI has been bothering her because so many folks are taking AI entirely too seriously. That’s a topic I could discuss: heatedly and at length. But I won’t, since I’ve been taking it easy this week.

Basically, I see AI as a very promising new technology. Whether each of us uses it to help or hurt: that’s up to each of us.

My oldest daughter, reading this, said: “You spent most of the article talking about how you made that one image and didn’t really connect it to the AI topic.”

She’s right, and I’d say more, but as I said: I’ve been taking it easy.

Besides, I’ve talked about AI, people, and making sense before:

• “BART Drivers and the Importance of Being Human” (February 8, 2025)
  • The Train That Left Its Human Behind
  • Seriously?
    • Humans: A Brief Meditation on Kids, Commuters, and Molten Ice Cream
• “ChatGPT, Attorney at Law — or — Trust, but Verify” (June 3, 2023)
  • Big-Time Bungle: Bogus References
  • Using Our Brains: It’s an Option
    • Changing Times, Human Nature
• “ChatGPT and the End of Civilization as We Know It” (April 15, 2023)
  • Search Engines, Iron Gall Ink and Me
  • “It Can Only be Attributable to Human Error”
  • From “I Read it in a Book” to “I Saw it Online”

¹ (Electric) power to the people:

• Wikipedia
  • Alternating current (“This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. …”)
  • Electric power transmission (“This article has multiple issues. … The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (March 2026)”)
  • Nikola Tesla
  • War of the currents

² Arguably winner of “the Award for Best Supporting Skyscraper”:

• Wikipedia
  • Chrysler Building
    • In media