So, here’s the thing: Every creative person I know currently despises AI, or Artificial intelligence. I mean, the concept of AI has existed for a very long time now, but only in this day and age have we seen a rise in AI generated content, thanks to the crowd sourcing of AI generators such as ChatGPT for writing prompts and OpenArt for, well, art. Which begs the question: where does AI leave animators and the like?

Will AI replace Animators? I mean, unless you want really subpar work that is clearly plagiarizing the work of actual animators out there? No, AI will not be replacing traditional animators anytime soon. Because as much as people want to pretend that AI is seamlessly taking over the work of actual creatives, that is simply not going to happen. AI, by its very nature, lacks that humane factor which gives anime its spark. But let’s discuss that further in another round of F.Y.I.!

Animation: Modern Storytelling With Traditional Ideals?

Art is subjective. I know we hear that a lot, but what does it mean, exactly? Well, art belongs to the one that created it, and so it’s their vision that we are seeing. It’s colored by the artist’s experience, their life and how they viewed certain events in their life. Art can be detached while simultaneously being very personal too. 

And so, animation is a reflection of that. One of my favorite examples to use when it comes to really seeing how much an animator influences the final result of their work is Neon Genesis Evangelion. Which, obviously, that anime is a masterpiece. But it isn’t just because of the cool animation and mecha builds, but because the tale of Neon Genesis Evangelion is a direct representation of Hideaki Anno’s mindset at the time. Hideaki Anno, the creative force behind Evangelion, had explained how his mental health struggles influenced every aspect of the series, and it shows. 

And that’s what makes anime, and animation in general, such an amazing mode of storytelling. It’s quite literally a visual representation of what the animator wants us to see, something that is inherently humane but filled with metaphors, both fantastical and not. It’s something that AI can try to emulate, but ultimately fails at.

AI Won’t Replace Animators, But It Might Aid Them

Look, I’ve seen enough AI art in my time. And while at the surface it can look really blended and pretty, that’s all it has going for it. Take a closer look and you’ll see more deformed digits than an Eldritch Horror fanart on Pixiv. Like, you can say that AI will eventually learn to be better at that but, I mean, it’ll still be soulless. 

And that’s really the crux of it, right? Maybe AI will get really good with basic illustrations, but any artist or creative person worth their salt? Yeah, they’d be able to tell the difference. Art is influenced by more art, but it’s transformative work. It’s still original and creative, by the end of it. Which is why animators won’t be getting replaced by AI, because AI can never take the small details and turn them into something truly impactful. They aren’t human, so the human element gets lost. 

I have a lot of respect for animators, and there’s a reason why hand-drawn animation gets so much respect nowadays. When you look at early Studio Ghibli works versus something like Disney’s newest offering, Wish, it isn’t just the styles that differ. There is so much texture and unique design choices that don’t feel like they can ever be created again. Sure, Wish might be more fluid, but it isn’t dynamic. It simply doesn’t engage you as much as, say, My Neighbour Totoro does. 

And that’s why I think the worst it’s going to get is animators themselves using AI tools to finetune their craft. Like, maybe they’ll take care of some shadow and shading work, maybe help create backgrounds faster. But actual animation? That’s a major reach. 

Art is beautiful not just because of the idea behind it, but the effort that goes into it too. AI is cutting out that effort, the hard work put into the result. So no, animators aren’t going to lose their job to pale, soulless imitators anytime soon.