In 2022, a first-place submission in a digital art contest stirred a debate amongst individuals both inside and out of the art community. A category known to cover photography and digitally-manipulated artwork had just been overtaken by an AI-generated art piece submitted by Jason Michael Allen.
Who is Jason Michael Allen?
Jason M. Allen is a game designer and art director, as well as founder and CEO of Art Incarnate- an AI-generated art business-and Incarnate Games, Inc.-a game design company for board, tabletop, and dice-based games.
Although initially apprehensive and avoidant with AI, Allen describes a change of heart inspired by AI’s creation of ‘novel’ art concepts and imaginings. He began experimenting with NightCafé and other art generators to create pieces themed around the second coming of Christ. The results would drive Allen towards a passion for creating art with prompt-based generators. In his exploration for different generative tools, Allen was given access to the beta version of Midjourney by an individual from Twitter (or X, if you are Elon Musk reading this).
Midjourney is a text-to-image generator that creates images using features of thousands of art pieces found online. In a growing class-action lawsuit, it was uncovered that Midjourney was trained with artwork from over 16,000 artists. A controversial feature, as many of those artists have not given permission for their artwork to be utilised in this fashion. Some users are using generated pieces for monetary gain as well, with no credit nor compensation to the original artists whose work is being used to create them. An issue that has existed before the AI boom, especially with artists’ work being stolen for clothing companies and/or small businesses.
Allen shares his exploration using Midjourney to develop experience in what he considers a skill in prompt creation. To Allen, generative art programs are utilised best in the hands of artists, who would know the language and manipulative aspects of an art piece to create specific, detailed prompts for a perfect result.
Entering Colorado State Fair’s Annual Art Competition
After some time exploring different prompt recipes, Allen decided to begin working on a generated piece for submission to the Colorado State Fair’s annual fine art competition. With a core foundation prompt Allen created, he claims to have spent around 80–100 hours reviewing nearly 1000 generated pieces from Midjourney, before gathering around 100 images. Allen selected three iterations and edited the pieces further with Photoshop and Gigapixel AI (image upscaling and enhancement tool) to submit to the competition.
Jason Allen’s A.I.-generated work, “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial,” took first place in the digital category at the Colorado State Fair.
When enrolling, Allen was asked to share details on the medium used. He stated that the piece was created ‘by Jason M. Allen via Midjourney’. Allen, unfamiliar with the concept of categories in art competitions, sought out the fair staffs’ guidance on where his art pieces should be submitted. Since Allen shared that he used a computer to create his piece, the staff recommended Allen’s pieces be placed in the ‘digital art/digital photography’ category, and so it was.
Allen’s aversion to mention AI in his description was called out for its clear avoidance of highlighting how Midjourney uses generative AI. A belief emphasised by judges later sharing that they did not know that Midjourney was a generative art tool. However, Allen argued that he should not have had to ‘explain the art world to someone who’s job it is to judge art’. Regardless, Allen reports that judges admitted that even if they were better informed, they would have still granted first place to Allen’s piece, as they described themselves as immediately drawn to it.
Uncovering the Debate, Are AI-Generated Images ‘Art’?
The debate over Jason Allen’s first-place submission centres on one fundamental question: is AI-generated art truly ‘art’? The conversation can be divided into three key perspectives:
The Supporters: Art as a Tool for Expression
Jason Allen and his supporters argue that generative AI is a revolutionary tool for artistic expression. Allen sees himself as a pioneer in displaying this thought, even authoring a book titled Unprompted: Pioneering the Art of A.I. He likens AI tools to the invention of photography, which may have similarly provoked fears among traditional portrait artists back in the 19th century. Just as cameras democratised image-making, Allen claims AI empowers individuals without traditional artistic training to explore their creativity.
Allen also questioned traditional metrics for judging art. Suggesting that art is not measured by the time it takes to create, but by the final aesthetic result. He recognises that using AI could be seen as winning a horse race by driving a Lamborghini; However, Allen claims that his use of AI should be more-so likened to a photo submitted into a portrait contest assumed to only include painted pieces. Something to challenge the ‘status quo’ of the art world.
Finally, Allen calls AI art ‘the most powerful form of human freedom-of-expression… that’s ever been created’. A way to give artistic expression to everyone, no matter their skillset. A means of equal accessibility for expression. To him, dismissing AI art as invalid is both ‘anti-art’ and ‘anti-people’.
The Opponents: Art Demands Human Effort
On the other end of the spectrum, critics believe that AI art undermines the very concept of artistry. They argue that art requires human skill, effort, and intent-qualities absent from a process driven by algorithms. Many see Allen’s submission as exploitative, especially given Midjourney’s training on the copyrighted works of artists who were neither informed nor compensated.
One critic likened using AI to employing performance-enhancing drugs in the Olympics. While the results might be impressive, they skew the competition and devalue the work of those who rely solely on their own abilities. If when the camera was first invented, a photographer entered a photo of a person into a portrait contest, where their piece would be compared to hand-painted portraits, they would likely win. However, does that really show their skill? It is an infamous tale of comparing apples and oranges. The broader fear is that allowing AI-generated art to flourish will erode the cultural and economic foundations of creative industries.
The Middle Ground: A Question of Authorship
Others argue that the debate should not be about whether AI art is “art”-of course it is. If a banana duct-taped to a wall can be considered art, so can AI-generated works. The real question, they say, is, ‘Who is the artist?’
Allen’s submission can be compared to commissioning a custom artwork. A client might provide detailed instructions of their vision to an artist, but it is still the artist’s skill and interpretation that bring the piece to life. While Allen believes he is the artist, with the AI being the tool. It is more accurate to see Allen as the client, with Midjourney being the artist. In the case of AI, programs like Midjourney do the ‘heavy lifting,’ raising ethical concerns about authorship and credit.
This perspective calls for redefining art itself. In an AI-driven world, art is no longer heavily focused on the final product but about the creative process. As the boundaries of authorship blur, society must rethink how art is judged, valued, and categorised in competitions. But it is of note to include that we also must learn to better protect the work done by artists, which have been getting stolen way before the boom of AI.
So, What Does This Have to do with Educators?
Education has long been overdue for a revision that separates art from the artist-product from process. Students in both lower and higher education frequently ask, ‘How is this going to help me in the real world?’ They are often left frustrated by a system that emphasises rote memorisation, essay formats, and exams without fostering genuine curiosity or practical skills. This approach leaves students burned out and unmotivated, creating a cycle of disengagement. Many want to love their career paths and their work, and educators want the same-but outdated teaching methods stand in the way. Learning assessments, like art competitions, will need to redefine to value and compare skill rather than products and outcomes.
AI, much like in the art world, will also force educators to confront existing systemic issues. For example, concerns about AI creating financial inequities in education-where wealthier students can afford better tools-mirror long-standing inequalities. Think sites like Chegg, Quizlet, and more that have paywalls behind better features of their sites. Think personal tutors, personalised education support, and more. Privilege has always won in the face of outcome-based judging. If we focus on the lambo crossing the finish line first, we neglect the effort and skill differences between it and the horses it is racing with. When looking at the product, we neglect proper assessment of students’ effort, skill-development, and more. If fears on shortcuts and plagiarism with AI force educators to revise their assessments to focus more on student learning and process rather than just the final result, then maybe it will be for the betterment of all students.
AI is seemingly just dragging out the issues that have already been there. Instead of resisting change, educators should embrace AI as an opportunity to refocus on student learning equality, processes, and independence.
By redefining learning to prioritise creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, education can move away from one-size-fits-all assessments. AI will not ruin education. Instead, it will shine a light on its flaws, prompting universities and schools to create fairer and more engaging systems for everyone.
AI, the Death of Humanity
Artificial intelligence is not the death of humanity-but it will be the death of humanity as we know it. AI is forcing us to redefine basic principles we have become accustomed to, from art and education to healthcare and business.
In art, we must reconsider the meaning of creativity and authorship. In education, we need to shift from product-focused learning to process-driven growth. In other industries, AI will challenge long-standing assumptions and systems, pushing society to evolve.
Ultimately, this is not a story of destruction but of transformation. AI is giving us a reason to fix what is broken, reconnect with our values, and create systems that align with the future we have always wanted. While the road ahead may be uncertain, it is also full of possibility-a chance to redefine humanity for the better.
