A camera and AI-generated video have a lot more in common than you may initially think...

Last week the world was shocked by the latest AI technology which will change video production as we know it with the release of Sora, OpenAI's video generator.

This isn't a post to talk about the power of this technology, there's been enough on the matter already.

The initial thoughts for most of us, when we see the emergence of these new technologies, is fear, what will our future look like if everything is AI-generated.

It's an uncertain and scary future, but it's important to look at the past to see how perceptions change to technology with time.

Not too long ago people were sceptical of photography, claiming it wasn't an art.

They saw photography merely as a thoughtless mechanism for replication.

Painter Paul Delaroche declared, “From today, painting is dead”; although he later realised that the invention could, in fact, aid artists.

Artists at first feared photography and agreed with Daguerre: “With this technique, without any knowledge of chemistry or physics, one will be able to make in a few minutes the most detailed views.”

But the reality now is, that billions take photographs with the click of a button, yet only some are pictures of art.

Still, as was the case 150 years ago, the art is in the eye, not the device.

Humans have always created art; it connects with us on deep levels.

And over time, the canvas people paint on has changed, allowing us to show more expressions, deeper stories, and detailed moments.

We've evolved from painting on cave walls, to digital media, showcasing humans' need to express and communicate, regardless of the medium.

The canvas may change, but the essence of art remains the same.

Yes, AI-generated videos and photos are a scary concept, one which needs regulation to ensure it’s not abused, but as history shows us with the introduction of the camera, it’s simply the introduction of a new canvas.

A new canvas which gives everyone the tools to be the next Speilberg, you no longer need millions of pounds to create a Hollywood film.

The barriers to entry have never been lower. This will only mean more artists and more stories for the world to see at a scale we’ve never seen before.

And the same rules apply, art is subjective and it’s in the eye of the beholder. And that is the beauty of it.