Human touch: art, authorship and algorithms

To fellow investigators and the curious learners,

Building on my last letter 'In the age of AI, it is Art History' and after attending compelling workshops on co-teaching with AI, I'm tempted to let available tools write this letter for me. These could, with the right prompts, mimic my 'old English' style, vocabulary and grammar, learnt from the proud teachers of what was once known as the King's English - or is it the Queen's? I'll have to google that. But then, who appreciates that speech? So, I'll write the way I write and leave it to you to 'humanise' or 'dehumanise' it to best suit your generation - whether you're a Baby Boomer, Millennial or Gen Z - assuming the Alphas and Omegas aren't into reading letters anyway.

We are living through a profound shift in the production, dissemination and evaluation of knowledge. In such an era, how do we write or teach Art History? The central challenge is clear: In an era when technology can summarise facts, what becomes central is not just knowledge but authority and agency. For decades, Art History was a quest for archives - a record of names, dates and movements. Today, in the shadow of AI, we move beyond 'who, when and what' to examine sovereignty: Who has the authority to create? What is being subjugated? How will it impact us? This shift transforms making from a technical process into a dialogue of power, authority and cultural ownership. Creativity is no longer only about the final product, but the agency behind it - the creator's intention, the work's origins and its legal protections or copy-rights. Ultimately, authorship is being redefined by the critical conversations technology prompts and the voices it might overshadow.

The recent show at the O' Art Space, titled 'She Who Creates', stirs up a similar debate. The exhibition explores ideas of birth, identity and gender. Now, AI can synthesise a thousand years of South Asian visual culture in a few seconds to write a review. It can, in the case of Amra Khan's works, highlight the gilding technique, the blue colour or the coded iconography; however, we must recognise that the AI algorithm is a scavenger of the 'already made' or the 'popular narrative'. It lacks the productive difficulty of the writer or the craftsman - the essential dialogue between the hand and the mind that defines human agency. This agency is found in the physical labour of indigo or lapis lazuli, the precise geometry of the Indo-Persian painting tradition or the representation of an individual who defies convention and invites new ways of seeing - or if nothing else, the choice of a vintage frame.

Rahat Naveed Masud, in her signature style, employs the duality of meaning suggested by both title and visual, where mother and tree symbolise nature's protection. Sadaf Naeem identifies patterns in garden shadows, weaving light and dark into life's tapestry, while Laila Rehman reimagines the churail, blending folklore with feminine power and basic human instinct. The other works are also remarkable which collectively verify the creative excellence of the group and stand as a testament to making as an act of resistance, a reclamation of cultural sovereignty and a celebration of womanhood.

I asked my non-art-major students to review the show and append a single word to its title. Their playful replies - She Who Creates Illusions, …Fantasy, …Wonder, …Trouble - reveal the public's pulse. By requiring close observation and personal reflection over generic critique, I prioritised originality and ethics. Later, we compared these human responses to AI-generated titles to spark a harder conversation: Who trains the algorithms? Whose stories are silenced? In the shadow of AI, bias and ownership are no longer abstract - they are the new frontlines of representation.

Like the camera before it, AI alters the mechanics of making. Art History has become a trialogue between artist, viewer and algorithm; yet, while tools process data, they lack living context. My advice is simple: use AI, but do not be used by it. Centre your own voice. Engage your peers and defend your agency. Go forward and challenge your communities to create with authenticity, ensuring that the 'thumbprint' of the human remains the defining mark of this evolving landscape.

Your sincerely,

Bano

May 2026