AI is not — yet — reducing artists’ employment, but it is changing how they work, research found.
Analysis of Gallup polling data established which artistic occupations are most exposed to AI: Outputs from many composers or art directors, for instance, could plausibly be done by AI, while dancers would be far harder to replace. But the research found that even the most AI-exposed creators were putting in slightly more hours in 2024 than in 2022, suggesting AI was not reducing their workload.
Instead, artists reported using the technology somewhat more than the national average, often to experiment with ideas, generate drafts, or organize workflow. Technology has changed art before — some predicted gramophones and cameras would replace live music and painting.