Regarding AI, I've given up arguing against it because I'm powerless to effect anything. But I'll say I think it's very sad that humans have chosen to surrender control of the creative arts to it before using it solve the labor tasks that make life a drain.
We're using it all wrong. Anybody and anything can do labor. Creativity and ingenuity is what separated us from the animals. Now we'll surrender it to the machines and just be meatbags that maintain them.
At the beginning of last year I was super happy to start learning Art for myself. I took my lessons very serious, especially with regards to character art and human anatomy. But with the explosion of AI art and the general apathy of the public, I've given up on learning art for myself. I feel that there is no longer a point. If there were any other artists just starting out who felt like me... It's very sad.
Anyway that's just my two cents. Pick it apart, tell me how I'm wrong. I've given up trying to push against it and just accepted it as inevitable.
Anyway...
Not a super huge haul but it'll keep me busy for a while.