AI as an artist’s assistant: When algorithms help artists

More and more artists are relying on AI (artificial intelligence) . The advantages are generally clear: initial ideas can be tested without much effort, and digital works serve as practical inspiration. While some critics are already citing a threat to art, the reality is that AI can also serve as a helpful assistant.

One thing is clear: There will certainly be a radical upheaval in the art scene, and not everyone will be happy about it. However, those who recognize the possibilities and use AI wisely will be able to work more creatively and productively in the future. Because one thing is undisputed: AI is here to stay.

How do artists integrate AI assistants into their work?

AI helps with idea generation

Every work begins with the laborious process of brainstorming ideas. In the past, real life often served as inspiration; today, this is usually contrasted with initial research on the internet, where digitalization has already taken hold. This also provides an initial overview of existing works.

AI image generator allows you to create initial works and test ideas using a few simple terms. If you don't have any idea yet, you can even brainstorm . But be careful: This practical assistant tends to evaluate almost every idea as positive.

Let’s look two examples from artistic practice :

In the first example, fantasy art illustrator Lioba Brückner in the video how AI can be used to generate art ideas and reference images .

In the video, the creator of imaginative portraits of strong women discusses her experience using Midjourney AI to create over 700 images for paintings and commissions. She highlights its ability to quickly generate unique and unconventional concepts. The video also discusses the potential advantages and disadvantages of using AI in art creation.

The second example is an instructional video HKUGAC art students using the new AI-generated tasks for their art classes. Although it specifically relates to the HKUGAC curriculum, it demonstrates how AI is being used in the school's virtual assistant program, thereby generating new ideas.

First templates can be created

The beginning of any work usually involves a great deal of work. Some artists therefore rely on templates or templates they have from their previous work. This way, they don't have to start from scratch every time. But AI can partially replace this very step and often provide a superior 'canvas'.

Anyone with sufficient experience using AI image generators can create their first work in no time, which, after minor modifications, may already correspond to their own vision. The advantage of digital art plays a key role here, of course, as you can experiment with each template as often as you like.

AI can even implement small changes

AI is also becoming increasingly better at implementing specific changes. The color of a jacket can then change from red to blue in a very short time, without the artist having to manually rework it. For this reason, some tools allow you to mark the desired areas in advance. This reduces potential errors.

Ultimately, however, this can be a somewhat extensive trial-and-error process, as an artist's specific ideas are often difficult to grasp. If AI still has trouble implementing them after several attempts, it's usually wiser to choose the best interim result and make final adjustments by hand.

Which AI tools are particularly popular with artists?

There are now a whole range of practical AI tools that can support artists in their daily work. Here, it's important to distinguish between "generalists" and "specialists." The former includes well-known tools such as ChatGPT , Gemini , and Meta AI . They all include image generation functions .

Midjourney , Stable Diffusion , and Adobe Firefly are particularly suitable . They are significantly more flexible and generally deliver superior results during creation, which can be refined more precisely. However, they lack brainstorming options because they lack comprehensive language models.

Ultimately, it may be beneficial to use generalists like ChatGPT to generate ideas, while also having initial creations implemented by Midjourney or Adobe Firefly. This allows artists to better integrate the benefits of both types of AI assistants into their daily work to work even more creatively and productively.

How can AI assistants be used safely?

Most tools are directly accessible via the internet, but this can come with limitations. On the one hand, there are legitimate concerns about privacy, and on the other, some content and AI tools are not yet available worldwide, but only in selected countries.

Both problems can be avoided with a VPN (virtual private network). It masks your IP address, thus providing greater privacy. Artists can also connect to a VPN server abroad and thus avoid restrictions. Thanks to its ease of use, no technical expertise is required.

Auction house Christie's auctions AI art for the first time

AI art has attracted much criticism in recent years, but there are also developments in the other direction. For example, in early 2025, the auction house Christie's its first online auction consisting exclusively of AI works. One artwork achieved a sales value of $277,200.

On average, however, the proceeds fell significantly short of expectations. This shows that people still value traditional art and are more willing to pay a little more for it. AI works can serve as inspiration or a first model, but in the end, it's usually the artist behind them that makes the decisive difference.

Conclusion: AI should be seen more as a practical aid

AI can be helpful in many areas of an artist's everyday life, whether during brainstorming or testing initial ideas. This can simplify many complex work steps and achieve more satisfying results. It's therefore all about sensibly integrating AI assistants into existing processes to increase productivity.