Anita Selzer says AI is the next evolution of art

Award-winning author Anita Selzer says artificial intelligence belongs in the long history of artistic innovation, not in opposition to it. Her comments come as Los Angeles prepares to open DATALAND, billed as the world’s first Museum of AI Arts, and as debate grows over copyright, bias and authenticity. Why it matters: - Anita Selzer frames AI as a creative tool that expands artistic possibility rather than a threat that replaces human work. - The argument lands as museums, artists and audiences are deciding how AI will fit into the future of art. - Selzer also points to women artists as a growing force in shaping the cultural and ethical debate around AI. What happened: - Anita Selzer said AI follows the same path as earlier art tools that initially faced resistance before becoming part of artistic practice. - Selzer is the award-winning author of The Female Gaze in Art and Photography, Volume 2 . - The book recently received a National Indie Excellence Award in Los Angeles. - That award marked the third international honor for Volume 2. - Volume 1 has won five international awards. - Selzer made her comments in Los Angeles as the city prepares to unveil DATALAND, described as the world’s first Museum of AI Arts. - More information is available on Anita Selzer’s website . The details: - Selzer compared AI with tools such as paintbrushes, charcoal, cameras, carving chisels, scrapers and wire loops. - Selzer said photography faced skepticism before becoming a distinct art form that changed how people see the world. - She argued that AI is moving through a similar cycle of resistance, experimentation and integration. - Selzer acknowledged concerns about copyright, ownership, training data, authenticity and bias. - Selzer said those issues should be addressed through engagement rather than rejection. - She said AI is generating new forms alongside traditional art instead of replacing them. - Selzer said AI is becoming part of the evolving language of artistic practice. Between the lines: - Selzer is making a cultural case for AI, not just a technological one. - Her comments also reflect a broader push to define who gets to shape the rules, values and representation standards around AI-generated art. - The reference to DATALAND signals that institutional interest in AI art is moving from speculation to real-world adoption. What’s next: - Los Angeles is set to open DATALAND, which could become a high-profile test case for how AI art is presented to the public. - The debate over authorship, training data and authenticity is likely to continue as AI tools spread through creative fields. - Selzer said the shift is structural, suggesting the art world is still at an early stage of adapting to AI.