AI as an Artist? A Two-Wave Survey Study on Attitudes Toward Using Artificial Intelligence in Art

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have developed rapidly, and generative AI in particular challenges human creativity. Therefore, people's perspectives about this transformative change involving creativity and art must be examined. We investigated attitudes toward using AI in art from the perspective of self-determination theory. We used data from a two-wave survey of Finnish respondents aged 18–80 years (n = 828) to analyze within- and between-person effects using hybrid multilevel regression modelling. We measured positive attitudes toward using AI in (a) the art and culture field in general, (b) music, (c) visual arts, (d) detecting forged art, and (e) creating art. The main independent variables were the basic psychological needs (perceived relatedness, autonomy, and competence) in using new technologies. The results showed that participants were less positive toward using AI in the art and culture field in general compared to many other fields, such as medicine and building and real estate technology. Stronger relatedness had within- and between-person effects on positive attitudes on using AI in the art and culture field in general, as well as in music, visual arts, and creating art. Stronger autonomy had within- and between-person effects on positive attitudes on using AI in detecting forged art and creating art. The results indicate that human needs for relatedness and autonomy are important in attitudes toward using AI in art. Hence, positive personal experiences with the use of new technology are likely to affect how people perceive the introduction of AI to the art field, which has been considered the last human frontier in the technological world.