Amid AI threat, Hong Kong artists say they must hone what makes art uniquely human

South China Morning Post

11-05-2025

Artwork made by a human and another by artificial intelligence (AI) can be hard to tell apart these days. To create or not to create? That is the question facing young artists in the age of AI.
In March, a new version of ChatGPT's image generator sparked controversy after producing visuals in the style of Studio Ghibli, which is renowned for its hand-drawn animations and fantasy worlds.
This led to a flood of social media posts with AI-generated images mimicking the legendary Japanese studio's distinctive style, raising concerns over creative integrity and artistic ownership.
Critics accused the tool of exploiting the legacy of Studio Ghibli and its co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki.
Miyazaki, now 84, has long been an outspoken critic of AI in animation. He called it 'an insult to life itself' in a 2016 meeting where he was shown an AI-generated animation demo.
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For many, AI's rise evokes a sense of existential threat reminiscent of sci-fi films in which humans lose control to machines, said Hong Kong comic artist Man Tsang.
'It makes us feel like we're not important any more – disposable, even,' he said. 'It's natural [for artists] to feel insulted. Not just as artists, but as humans. And that insult feels real.'
But for Tsang, this fear is not new. He sees it as part of a historical cycle.
'During the agricultural and industrial revolutions, people went through something similar. Farmers who could predict rain became irrelevant. In the UK, factory workers rioted and smashed machines – but they lost,' he said.
'AI might strip a lot from us, but over 10, 20, even 100 years of struggle, we might eventually reach a legal balance. In the short term, though, pain is inevitable.'
Amid the looming threat from AI, some artists, including Tsang, believe creatives must now push deeper into what makes their work uniquely human.
Man Tsang is a Hong Kong artist who is adapting a novel, 'Star Wars: Thrawn', into a comic. Photo: Sun Yeung
Value of creative instinct
Tsang, who is collaborating with Disney to illustrate a comic adaptation of Star Wars: Thrawn, is one of the few Hong Kong artists working at a global level.
He considers himself lucky that AI did not go mainstream until after he had built a name for himself.
But he is worried for new graduates.
'Take students just out of ... [a] design programme – they've trained for years but haven't had time to get noticed. And now, AI is already doing the jobs they were aiming for,' Tsang said.
'Ads that used to pay a few thousand dollars to beginners now turn to AI-generated content instead. That's devastating.'
Resilience, he added, was just one part of survival – creativity would be essential for aspiring artists in this new era.
'Having a unique style is crucial. People remember me for sketching travel scenes in a notebook. That stuck with them,' he said.
'Creativity isn't about writing a movie. It's about making life a little more bearable in hard times. That's instinct.'
In time, Tsang believes traditional methods may become more valuable.
'Hand-drawn work might not make you rich – but if you don't do it, it has no value at all,' he said. 'That's why I tell kids: don't just use an Apple Pencil. Use real paper and pens. If the computer breaks, you can still draw. That's yours.'
He added: 'Maybe people will start noticing those who shoot on film again, or write scripts on tape recorders. Whatever it is, the goal is to be remembered.'
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The soul of art lies in lived experiences
Another Hong Kong artist, Tommy, known as Tommychief Oil, said the city's results-driven culture contributed to the rising dependence on AI, and with it, growing concerns about whether human artists can stay relevant.
'Today's artists need to think about what elements they can incorporate to set themselves apart from AI,' said Tommy, who preferred to share only his given name.
According to Tommy, that edge lies in storytelling rooted in lived experiences.
'When I look at a piece of art, I'm not just looking at the result; I'm thinking about the artist's journey and how their experiences led to that work,' he said.
'I think truly complex works are something AI hasn't quite mastered – at least for now.'
Cultural context, he added, would be key.
'Hong Kong artists should lean into our own culture. If we don't even understand our roots ... then we've lost our unique voice,' he said. 'Storytelling, research and history matter because new audiences are looking for something they can't find anywhere else.'
Tools like ChatGPT and Deepseek are forcing creatives to consider what makes their work special. Photo: AFP
AI as an asset
For Hong Kong graphic design student Kane Dalangin Harold, the future still looks bright.
The 32-year-old, who chose to study graphic design for a career change from charity work, said he was optimistic that AI would be more of an asset than a threat.
'As a graphic designer, AI is a useful tool – especially for research and organising content,' he said. 'It can help generate ideas when resources aren't available, like specific photography styles or mock-ups that require human subjects.'
Dalangin sees AI as a way to boost efficiency.
'It ... allows me to focus more on the design aspect. We can generate a range of visual possibilities based on ideas, then refine them,' the student said.
He added that the refinement process was where humans held the advantage, and designers should equip themselves with AI tools to keep up with these changes.
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'We know how to make decisions that reflect the message we're trying to convey. AI still needs ... instructions to produce something of equal quality,' he said.
'That ability to interpret and communicate ideas visually – that's our skill.'
He said the real concern would come if AI could eventually learn to independently make creative decisions.
For now, even as companies adopt AI for basic design tasks, Dalangin believes graphic designers are essential.
'Sometimes, businesses get what they think they want from AI, but the message still doesn't come across,' he said. 'That's when a designer can step in and solve the problem in ways AI can't.'