The Next Renaissance: Considerations on Artificial Intelligence and the Study of Early Modern Art
Tech billionaires and news sources alike are calling Artificial Intelligence “The Next Renaissance.” What does this mean for those of us who study the original Renaissance? My paper will explore the current landscape of the intersection between AI and Renaissance studies, with a particular focus on early modern art history and material culture. From AIs attributing a painting to Raphael, creating Renaissance-style portraits of 21st century celebrities, or AI-powered image fillers in Adobe absurdly and unnecessarily expanding the background landscape of the Mona Lisa, the impending AI revolution obviously has widespread and deep implications for the study and teaching of Renaissance history.
As AI is in its infancy, researching the field often raises more questions than answers. What does it mean when a user asks an image-generator like Dall-E 3 to “create a Renaissance masterpiece” in seconds? Is AI ruining our perception of history? Is academia headed for a period of massive erosion of historical truth, and can this be prevented? As faculty in Museology, I also plan to focus in part on how AI will impact the collection and exhibition of Renaissance art in museums. My paper will interrogate such questions and offer insights into how Renaissance scholars can possibly navigate the constantly shifting AI landscape.