Animation in the Age of AI: Creative Dialog With Algorithms

LUCID is an experimental animated short film that explores the interplay of dance, music, and artificial intelligence (AI). Our objective was to examine the role and impact of style transfer technologies and other AI animation tools and the potential of creative human-AI collaboration in animation film-making. We investigated how these technologies change artistic processes, open new creative possibilities, and redefine the relationship between artists and their tools. A particular focus was placed on the creative Human-AI collaboration and on the interaction of technological innovation and artistic expression to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current and potential impact of AI-based style transfer and AI-generated images in the art world. Using the film LUCID as an example, we show how the creative collaboration process between artists and AI tools may become a central theme of the animated film.